Kim Clijsters v Victoria Azarenka Australian Open Semi Finals tennis betting odds & preview

Clijsters ousts Wozniacki to set up Azarenka semi

Victoria Azarenka
Victoria Azarenka © GEPA pictures

Kim Clijsters v Victoria Azarenka Australian Open Semi Finals tennis betting is an absolute treat of a match for us to enjoy. Defending Champions Kim Clijsters produced one of the all time classic comebacks in the fourth round against last year’s losing finalist Na Li. Clijsters rolled her ankle in the first set, which she lost and then had to face four match points in the second. Somehow she played through the pain and took the second and third sets to move ahead to face world number one Caroline Wozniacki in the quarter finals. So it hasn’t been an easy or plain sailing campaign for Clijsters, but she is sure proving just what a phenomenal and worthy champion she is. Clijsters plans on retiring at the end of the season and so this will be her last appearance at Melbourne Park if that is going to happen and she booked herself a spot in the last four, upsetting the top seed. There really was no sign of any ankle problem for Clijsters as she took command of the match against Wozniacki easily. Whatever treatment she received on her ankle, sure did the trick and it probably helped mental preparations as well because that was all that she had to focus on. Clijsters is class. The classiest woman on the WTA, without doubt. She plays with such a style, but there is formidable power in her arsenal as well. Against Na Li, when she looked down and out, Clijsters just went for everything, put everything into her shots and she came up trumps. She did it again in the second set against Wozniacki in the tie break (which came after Clijsters had let a 5-2 lead slip) when Clijsters just started hitting out harder and more lethally. That bravery is what she has up her sleeve, and what is so devastating to her opponents. The win against the world number one, which will have left Wozniacki wondering just how to beat heavy hitters, looked effortless for Clijsters, whatever condition her ankle was truly in. Now she sets up herself up for another big task, in Kim Clijsters v Victoria Azarenka Australian Open Semi Finals tennis betting.

Victoria Azarenka is red hot at the moment, let’s make no mistake about that. With Wozniacki out of the way thanks to Clijsters, Azarenka still has a shot at becoming the new world number one at the conclusion of the Australian Open. The Belarusian faced her friend Agnieszka Radwanska in the quarter finals, and it was the Polish player who edged a very tight first set. The first set went to a tie break, which Radwanska blitzed through in remarkable fashion, taking it 7-0. So a surprise looked on the cards, as Radwanska just never stopped running during that first set, chasing down everything that Azarenka could throw at her. It told after the first set though, as Azarenka came out even more focused and determined. What she did was tighten up her game and cut out the unforced errors, which had gifted her opponent points in the first set. There was big mental change up in her game, and the power kept on coming. Azarenka hits the ball hard. We mean hard. She is one of the biggest hitters in the game and is so aggressive in her work, she leaves little on the court. This is only the second time she has been past the quarter finals of a Grand Slam, but the young Belarusian is growing and growing in stature all of the time. She matured last season and she looks to have matured even more. Azarenka was generally guilty of being her own worst enemy, her emotions and hot temper getting the better or her, as she would lose focus in games and just disappear. The fact that she switched up a mental gear at the start of the second set against Radwanska was a big indicator of how far she has come.

So Kim Clijsters v Victoria Azarenka Australian Open Semi Finals tennis betting is going to be a real heavyweight match, with two very powerful hitters. If class at the end of the day is going to be the factor, then Clijsters has much flair and a deft touch around the court. But you can’t ignore Azarenka’s athleticism, something which she has clearly worked on, because she gets from side to side much better than she did a couple of seasons ago. There is so little to chose between these two players as it stands. So better have a look at the head to head. Clijsters leads 4-2 against Azarenka and they met twice last year with both players picking up a win. This is such a tough call splitting these two and would expect the match to go to three sets. Who are the bookies leaning towards? The younger, possibly fitter Azarenka, who is in destructive mode at the moment. Would back that up if her head is in the game. She’s been in great form over the past few months, and picked up a title coming into the Australian Open.

Kim Clijsters v Victoria Azarenka Australian Open Semi Finals tennis betting
Victoria Azarenka 10/11 at Ladbrokes, Kim Clijsters Evens at BetFred

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To Win Australian Open
Azarenka 11/4 at Bet365
Clijsters 4/1 at BetFred