Yanina Wickmayer, former world number 12, will be one of the first players to step on the courts of Melbourne on Monday morning. She will take on Slovakian Magdalena Rybarikova in the first round.
Wickmayer's start of the year
Yanina Wickmayer officially started her 2016 season in November when she entered the WTA $125K event in Carlsbad. Even though she didn't beat any top 100 players, she didn't drop a set during her journey and clinched the title, which permitted her to undertake the Australian tour in full confidence. In Brisbane, she delivered a great fight against Dominika Cibulkova but couldn't take her opportunities in the decider, which cost her the victory. Sydney was unfortunately not better for her as she bowed to Lauren Davis straight from the second qualifying round. She will enter the first Grand Slam of the year with only one win under her belt but let's not forget that she made it to the 4th round last year.
Rybarikova's start of the year
Magdalena Rybarikova began her year in New Zealand, at the ASB Classic of Auckland. She was the first seed of the qualifications but didn't manage to get through to the main draw as she lost to Naomi Broady, the new star of Auckland, 7-6 in the decider. She then played the Premier tournament of Sydney where she also played the qualifications. She was off to a good start, cruising past Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-0 but again, couldn't qualify. Nevertheless, she entered the main draw as a lucky loser and lost against Monica Puig without having anything to be ashamed of since she lost in a tight three-setter.
Head to Head
These two players have already met five times in the past, every time on hard courts. Wickmayer leads 3-2 but the last encounter was a one-sided affair won by Rybarikova in 2014. The Belgian has already reached the last 16 twice at the Australian Open in 2010 and 2015. She loves to play in Melbourne and has already scored some big wins there incluced one against a top 15 player last year, against Sara Errani. Rybarikova has never done better than a second round in Australia but she always had though first round opponents. This year, she will not face a seed and will be eager to take her chance since she has nothing to lose.
They know each other well. We can expect Wickmayer to dictate the game; she will make the winners but also the unforced errors. If she appears to be in a good day, she should get past her opponent but if not, Rybarikova will then have a chance. The match will take place in first position on Court 7.
Prediction: Wickmayer def. Rybarikova in straight sets.