Halep Is Favourite For Miami Win Over Vaidisova

Simona Halep will have to overcome the Czech Republic`s Nicole Vaidisova should her bid to win her first Miami Masters title start off on the right foot. The Romanian world number three, who is one of the favourites for Miami success, has never reached the final of the competition, her best finishes being recorded in successive years in 2012 and 2013 when reaching the tournament`s third round. The now 23-year-old saw off Carla Suarez Navarro (6-7, 6-3, 6-3) and the seeded Nadia Petrova (6-3, 6-2) in 2012 before being dispatched by Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli in straight sets (4-6, 6-7). A year later, she would get the beating of both Sabine Lisicki (6-2, 3-6, 7-5) and Tamira Paszek (6-1, 6-7, 7-5) before only managing to win one game against Italian eighth seed Sara Errani (6-1, 6-0).

Tomorrow she faces a former quarter-finalist of this competition in Vaidisova. The now 25-year-old recorded her best ever Miami Masters finish as the eighth seed in 2007. After receiving a bye into the second round, all of Michaella Krajicek (4-6, 7-5, 6-2), Victoria Azarenka (6-3, 6-3) and Vera Dushevina (6-2, 6-4) would bite the dust before the Czech representative lost out to eventual champion Serena Williams (6-1, 6-4).

This match will be made even more interesting by the fact that the two women have never faced each other on court before. Eleven-time WTA tournament winner Halep is the favourite for their first ever encounter, available at the best price of 1/9 at boylesports whilst Vaidisova can be picked up at 9/1. This price is currently available at bet365.

Both bookmakers and punters think that it is most likely that the Constanta-born star will be able to see off Vaidisova in straight sets, a Halep 2-0 victory being best priced at 4/11 at Bwin. Otherwise, william hill`s 11/2 says that the favourite will secure the victory in three sets. Fancy an upset? The underdog is available at a price of 18/1 at bet365 to beat the 5`6" player by two sets to one. Alternatively, the Nuremburg-born Czech representative can be scooped at 25/1 at betfair to record a victory in straight sets.

Vaidisova, who is now ranked outside the top 300 players in the world, has only been able to qualify for two tournaments this year prior to her Miami Masters outing. The first was in Michigan`s Midland competition where she would eventually reach the semi-final. Vaidisova would exit at the hands of eventual tournament winner Tatjana Maria in straight sets. The match would end 6-4, 7-5 to the German. Later, Vaidisova would qualify for the Monterrey tournament in Mexico only to meet world number six Ana Ivanovic in the first round. A six-time WTA tournament victor, Vaidisova would only win one game in the first set before losing out on the second by a tie-break.

Halep has picked up three of her 11 career titles this year and will hope to add to her swag in Miami. She first tasted success in the Shenzhen Open at the start of the year, only conceding four games to Timea Bacsinszky in the final (6-2, 6-2). The world number three would then take home the Dubai Duty Free Championships by seeing off fellow finalist Karolina Pliskova in straight sets (6-4, 7-6). This would precede her Indian Wells triumph, coming back from only picking up two games in the opening set of her final against Jelena Jankovic to take the second by seven games to five and the third 6-4. Halep is 7/1 with ladbrokes to lose the first set against Vaidisova but win the match.

Go To bet365

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26/03/2015     © Frixo 2024