Bianca Andreescu at the 2021 US Open
2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu faces third seed Aryna Sabalenka in a blockbuster second-round clash at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart on Thursday.
The Canadian has returned to action after a six-month hiatus to deal with mental health concerns. Andreescu started her Stuttgart campaign on Tuesday with a 7-6 (5), 6-3 win over German wildcard Jule Niemeier.
While she fell behind by an early break in the first set, the 21-year-old gained confidence as the match progressed before securing the win. Andreescu now needs to be at her best if she wants to topple the World No. 4 and make it into the quarterfinals.
Where is Bianca Andreescu playing?
Bianca Andreescu will play this week at the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart. The WTA 500 indoor claycourt event is an important stop on the calendar ahead of the French Open next month.
The tournament, which is the oldest women’s indoor European event, was originally played on hardcourt from 1978 to 2008 before switching to claycourt. It also changed its location from Filderstadt to Stuttgart in 2006.
Presently held at the Porsche Arena, the event has attracted a host of top names over the years. Martina Navratilova is the most successful player in the tournament, having lifted the trophy six times.
Among other stars, Martina Hingis, Tracy Austin, Lindsay Davenport, Maria Sharapova, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin have all triumphed multiple times.
Ashleigh Barty, who announced her retirement from the sport earlier this year, is the defending champion at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
Who is Bianca Andreescu playing against?
Aryna Sabalenka in action at the 2022 Credit One Charleston Open
Bianca Andreescu faces a tough opponent in Aryna Sabalenka, who has established herself as one of the contenders for the biggest titles on the tour. The Belarusian won her only previous meeting with Andreescu in Manchester in 2017.
She has 10 titles to her credit, two of which came in a scintillating 2021 season. Sabalenka also made it to the semifinals of the Wimbledon Championships and the US Open for the first time in her career, rising to a career-high No. 2 in the world.
The 23-year-old, known for her hard-hitting brand of tennis, also has an enviable record in doubles. She won her maiden women’s doubles Slam at the US Open in 2019 and followed it up with the Australian Open title two years later.
That said, Sabalenka has struggled to find her rhythm this year. The World No. 4 has come to Stuttgart with a 7-8 win-loss record for the season. A quarterfinal in Doha and a fourth-round finish at the Australian Open are her only notable results in an otherwise below-par start to the 2022 season.
Sabalenka fell at the final hurdle to former World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty at Stuttgart last year. She needs a massive uplift in her form if she wants to go one better this time around.
Bianca Andreescu vs Aryna Sabalenka match schedule
Andreescu and Sabalenka’s match is second on Center Court on Thursday after a 12.30 pm local time start.
Match timing: Approx 2:30 pm local time / 12:30 pm GMT/ 8:30 am ET/ 6 pm IST.
Date: 21 April 2022.
Bianca Andreescu vs Aryna Sabalenka streaming details
Viewers from the following countries can catch the action live on these respective channels and sites:-
USA: For viewers in the USA, Tennis Channel will broadcast the match.
UK: UK viewers can follow the action on Amazon Prime Video.
Canada: Viewers in Canada can tune in to DAZN.
Australia: Fans Down Under can catch all the action live on beIN Sports.
For more information regarding the broadcast of matches, click here.
