- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Reigning Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber has been unconvincing thus far and needs to improve her game if she is to progress past Kristyna Pliskova. Join The Roar for live scores from 12.30pm (AEDT).
Kerber has been pushed significantly in her opening two matches, progressing past both of her opponents thus far in three sets.
In good news for Kerber, the German has finished her matches strongly, winning both the final sets 6-2 against her opposition, proving that she possesses the tenacity required to finish well under pressure.
Regardless, Kerber has to take her game to the next level if she hopes to beat Pliskova this afternoon. Failure to do so and the world no.1 could find herself joining Novak Djokovic and Agnieszka Radwanska as major casualties in the opening week of the Australian Open.
On current form, Pliskova should fancy her chances of pushing Kerber to three sets today. The Czech player has already caused an upset of sorts by defeating the 27th seed Irina-Camelia Begu in the second round and will be full of confidence heading into a third round match-up against the no.1 seed.
Prediction
Pliskova will need to keep her unforced error count low against Kerber if she wants to secure a place in the fourth round. Kerber’s opponents have forced the issue against the German, but unforced errors have derailed their chances to cause the upset in the opening two rounds. If Pliskova can take measured risks and keep the error count low, she will give herself every chance of causing an upset.
As for Kerber, the German is playing nowhere near her best but she has shown enough mental strength to cross the finish line. Her recent success at Grand Slam level should once again serve her well here, but only if she improves her form. Anything less and Pliskova is a fighting chance of winning.
Kerber in three sets.