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World No.4 Agnieszka Radwanska will look to build on a promising start to 2016 when she plays American Christina McHale in the opening round of the Australian Open. Join The Roar for live scores from around 3:30pm (AEDT).
Having already secured a title victory at Shenzhen this year, Radwanska possesses the form to once again go deep into a major.
The Polish star is one of the most consistent and elegant players on the WTA tour and starts a strong favourite today.
Radwanska currently holds a perfect 3-0 winning record over McHale, with each of those wins coming in straight sets.
Of further concern for McHale surrounds the fact that she has barely troubled Radwanska when the pair have clashed. The American has really struggled to win any service games against the former Wimbledon finalist, with her last match against Radwanska resulting in a 6-1, 6-3 defeat last year.
While McHale can match Radwanska when it comes to shot-making prowess, The Polish star holds considerable advantage when it comes to court coverage and play at the net. Radwanska is a master of keeping the ball in play and constructing points, and such tactics should serve her well yet again.
If McHale wishes to break through and reclaim her place inside the top 30 on the WTA tour, she will need to play aggressively. Radwanska struggles against players who possess powerful groundstrokes and this was exactly the case last year when she lost to veteran Venus Williams in the 2015 Australian Open.
Prediction
At her best, McHale can trouble Radwanska, but the Polish star is on another level and should progress in straight sets.