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Elise Mertens vs Elina Svitolina: Australian Open women's quarter-final live scores

23rd January, 2018
Start time: Around 1pm (AEDT)
Court: Rod Laver Arena
TV: Live, Seven
Online: Live, 7Tennis app
Betting: Svitolina $1.25, Mertens $4
Overall record: Played 1, Svitolina 1, Mertens 0
Last meeting: 30/4/17, Istanbul final - Svitolina defeat Mertens 6-4, 6-2 (clay)

Elise Mertens last ten matches: won 10, lost 0
Elina Svitolina last ten matches: won 10, lost 0
Elina Svitolina is the highest-ranked woman at the Hopman Cup (Wikimedia Commons)
Expert
23rd January, 2018
0

Elise Mertens and Elina Svitolina, both on an incredible run of form, will combine to create an unexpected Australian Open quarter-final. Join The Roar for live scores from around 1pm (AEDT).

Between them, the pair have played 21 matches this year, totalling for a grand total of one loss, which came on the first day of January, as Mertens fell to Angelique Kerber at the Hopman Cup.

Since then, it’s been a perfect record for both players.

Mertens missed last year’s Australian Open after qualifying for the Hobart International and winning the tournament, meaning she wasn’t able to make qualifying for the first grand slam of the year. But she went on an incredible run over the next 12 months.

Her ranking rose from outside the top 100 to 37, where she just missed a seeding for this year’s version, again taking out the Hobart International in the lead-up after showing some impressive form in Perth.

Mertens, on the back of her power game, is yet to drop a set in victories over Viktoria Kuzmova, Daria Gavrilova, Alize Cornet and Petra Martic.

While none of those players match what the world No.4 will be able to throw down, you can only play what’s in front of you and Mertens has done that and then some.

Svitolina, like Mertens, possesses a power game which has allowed her to rise up the world rankings. The Ukranian has firmly stamped her authority as one of the best players in the world, only losing a single set at this year’s Australian Open.

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Like Mertens, she came into the Open on the back of a tournament win, having taken out the crown in Brisbane. While the draw has opened up for her and she is yet to play a seeded opponent at Melbourne Park, she has been in fine form.

The last two matches, against Marta Kostyuk and Denisa Allertova, were particularly impressive, only dropping seven games across the four sets.

This match comes down to who can get on top early. Mertens has been, at times, a little slow to start and struggled to break serve in the first set. It could come back to bite her here, because Svitolina isn’t going to give up a lead.

The pair have played once previously, with Svitolina claiming a tournament win on clay in Istanbul. The winner will face either Carla Suarez Navarro or Caroline Wozniacki in the semi-final.

Prediction
Mertens has come along way, but her struggles to break serve at times will be amplified here. They will be long sets, but Mertens won’t win one.

Svitolina in straight sets.

Be sure to join The Roar for live scores of this match from around 1pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.

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