After routine straight-sets wins to begin their seasons, former world number one and third seed Caroline Wozniacki faces American Varvara Lepchenko for a spot in the quarterfinals at the ASB Classic in Auckland. Wozniacki and Lepchenko have met five times previously, with the Dane coming out on top four out of those five meetings.
How they got here
For Wozniacki, the Danish superstar got her Auckland campaign underway with a dominant 6-1, 6-0 thrashing of American Nicole Gibbs in the first round. The former number one and two-time US Open finalist did not face a single break point the entire 52-minute match en route to a matchup in the second round against Lepchenko.
For the American, the world number 89 got her year underway with a slightly less convincing 6-3, 6-4 victory over Australian qualifier Arina Rodionova.
Previous matchups
Wozniacki and Lepchenko have met five times previously, with the Dane owning a 4-1 head-to-head advantage over the American. The pair first met in 2009 in Madrid, where Wozniacki cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 victory. Two years later it was a tougher time around for then number one Wozniacki, as the Dane battled to a 6-4, 7-6 victory on the red clay of Brussels.
A year later on the fast hard courts of Montreal, Lepchenko got out to an early lead 6-4, before the former number one fought her way to a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory to keep her unbeaten record against the American left-hander. In 2014 in Miami, Wozniacki blew past the world number 89, claiming a comprehensive 6-0, 6-1 win. Most recently back in 2015, the American took her first career victory over Wozniacki, upending the heavily injured Dane 6-2, 6-4 at Stanford.
Final thoughts
Despite Lepchenko having come through against the third seed in the pair's most recent meeting two years ago, the Dane was suffering from a calf injury the entirety of that match and with Wozniacki's improved form the latter end of 2016, the former number one certainly is the favorite going into the match.
For Lepchenko, the key will be to push the sometimes defensive Wozniacki around, using her powerful lefty strokes to gain an early advantage in the rally. If the American can reel in the unforced errors and push her Danish opponent around, she's got a chance.
Unfortunately for Lepchenko though, Wozniacki has been in sublime form since the US Open, winning 22 of her last 28 matches and taking titles in Tokyo and Hong Kong late last season.
If the third seed and 2015 runner up can use her top-flight defensive skills and push Lepchenko back, it will be tough to bet against the Dane, and expect Wozniacki to do just that and reach the quarterfinals here in Auckland with relative ease.
Prediction: Wozniacki in straight sets