The highlight from the schedule of women’s second round matches on Wednesday in Rome will see a third match this year between Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka. Wozniacki drew the short straw in Melbourne and once again, has drawn Azarenka in the second round. In Melbourne, Azarenka produced a dynamic performance to take out the Dane, 6-4 6-2. In their most recent match-up in Doha, Wozniacki won just four games as Azarenka rather strolled to another straight sets win, 6-3 6-1. Azarenka was rewarded in those matches for being the more aggressive player and her ability to finish points off at the net. However, Wozniacki has looked much more positive in her last two tournaments, particularly in Stuttgart where she secured impressive wins on the clay against Carla Suarez Navarro and Simona Halep.
Azarenka played her first match of the week on Tuesday and overcame lucky loser, Lucie Hradecka in three sets, 7-5 2-6 6-1. By all accounts, it wasn’t a pretty match and Azarenka had her vitals checked towards the end of the second set. At the end of the day, a win is a win. I said this before their last match in Doha, but I feel like this one should be much closer. It will be interesting to see whether Azarenka can pull it together after today’s match against Hradecka. It seems a 50-50 match to me and depends on which Vika turns up tomorrow…
Prediction: Azarenka d. Wozniacki in 3 sets
Moo's Tennis Blog 
I liked what I saw from Caroline so far in the clay tournaments,even though her clay court coach cannot stay with her for the rest of the clay season,Caroline’s game to me suits the clay,I have picked her to win against Azarenka,even though Azarenka won in 3 sets,in her first match,I wasn’t convinced,hoping Azarenka hasn’t got any medical issues.
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Im hoping Vika comes through this one again. Didn’t manage to catch her match today, hope it wasnt a serious medical issue.
I also think Bouchard will finally snap her losing streak tomorrow. She had to come right some time or another before the French Open.
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I’m starting to think Bouchard might snap her streak here but we’ll have to wait and see…
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Azarenka is an excellent tennis player, but not much of a fan of her histrionics. I will root for Wozniacki.
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Caro over Vika
Genie its a must win
Venus for the win!
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Azarenka needs to serve better if she want’s to beat Woz! She served around 16 DF’s today… which is passing Sabine territory!
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Vika didn’t play the way she played against Serena . If she plays like how she played today, she will lose. The only thing I know Serena will try her hardest to defend her title . And I hope Nadal can win this title .
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According to Martina Navratilova, Vika seems to be OK but I am not sure if she is faking the MTO to cool down Hradecka. Whatsoever she won anyway! I am backing Caro to beat her this time. It is clay and I think with Caro current form is possible to do it.
TBH, Bouchard is overrated with all those easy draws she got last year in the slams. I foresee that Zarina will beat her in Rome this time.
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Bouchard had a pretty hot game at one point but I’m unsure she’ll ever get back to it. Taking the ball on so early and aggressive just doesn’t seem to be working for her anymore. She should either bulk up and try to be a Sharapova style striker or knuckle down and aim to be a Wozniacki style counter puncher.
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so glad vika won!!! always a better player when she is not her own enemy. 🙂
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