Sports activities Mole previews Monday’s WTA Finals round-robin match between Elena Rybakina and Qinwen Zheng, at the side of predictions, head-to-head and their tournament so far.
An error-strewn return to aggressive motion marred Elena Rybakina‘s WTA Finals tournament opener, nevertheless she seeks a response against debutant Qinwen Zheng.
The Kazakhstani player has never misplaced to the original Olympic champion, nevertheless the context of Monday’s round-robin meeting makes the 22-yr-long-established Chinese language favourite to snap that shedding bustle.
Match preview
© Imago
Rybakina used to be abet on the court docket in Saturday’s Finals opener against Jasmine Paolini nevertheless could presumably presumably no longer steer clear of shedding to the 2-time 2024 Wide Slam runner-up.
No topic competing admirably in her first match-up since August, the Italian notched a 7-6(5), 6-4 triumph against the 2022 Wimbledon champion, leaving the one-time Slam winner and Zheng wanting victories on Monday.
The world No. 5 made a staggeringly crude 56 unforced errors to 27 winners, outdoing Paolini (12) in the latter, nevertheless she used to be let down by errors on return and inconsistency on her first deliveries.
Rybakina landed 50% of her first serves in the tournament-opening defeat, and a repeat will be punished by the in-form Zheng in their third discover on the tour.
© Imago
The original champion in Tokyo suffered a fifth consecutive loss to Aryna Sabalenka — an anticipated final consequence earlier than both girls took to the court docket in Riyadh — nevertheless seeks a response against one more player she has never defeated.
No topic the shedding statistic, Zheng indubitably enters her second round-robin match against Rybakina more optimistic about snapping her shedding bustle against one more bogey opponent — an upshot of the aged Wimbledon champion’s prolonged absence.
In distinction, the Olympic champion is 23-4 in her closing 27 matches on the WTA Tour and entered her first Finals on the abet of reaching the quarters at the US Open, the semis in Beijing, the closing in Wuhan and winning in Tokyo to complete an impressive Asian swing.
Thus, Zheng hopes to file a important salvage at the yr-cease match to steal qualification hopes and cease her Rybakina hoodoo in Saudi Arabia.
Tournament so far
Elena Rybakina:
Round Robin: vs. Jasmine Paolini 6-7(5) 4-6
Qinwen Zheng:
Round Robin: vs. Aryna Sabalenka 3-6 4-6
Head To Head
Beijing (2023) – Round of 64: Rybakina 6-1 6-2
Wimbledon (2022) – Third round: Rybakina 7-6(4) 7-5
Rybakina leads Zheng 2-0 in their head-to-head and aims for a 3rd success over the bettering Chinese language player.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion defeated Zheng en route to claiming the Championships two years in the past earlier than repeating that success by dismantling the arena No. 7 in Beijing a yr later, surrendering three games in the 2-location victory.
Having never won a location against Rybakina, the Olympic champion’s ascent this yr suggests a change needs to be in the offing this time.
We explain: Zheng to salvage in two sets
Whereas Zheng must return adeptly and aggressively against the colossal-serving Rybakina, the seventh seed’s superior form and the Kazakhstani’s rustiness must mediate in regards to the Chinese language player cease her 0-2 file against the one-time Slam champion.
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