Manuel Chávez
Dailysports's expert
Aryna Sabalenka
Zheng Qinwen
On May 14, Aryna Sabalenka and Zheng Qinwen will battle it out in the quarterfinals of the tennis tournament in Rome. Here’s my preview and prediction for this intriguing showdown.
Aryna Sabalenka
The Belarusian star is having a stellar season, having reached an impressive six finals so far. Sabalenka has captured titles in Brisbane, Miami, and Madrid, while finishing runner-up at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, and Stuttgart.
Sabalenka has been performing as expected in Rome, and the quarterfinals are hardly her ceiling. She cruised past Anastasia Potapova 6-2, 6-2, overcame Sofia Kenin 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, and defeated Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 7-6. Firmly holding her spot at the top of the world rankings, Sabalenka’s main weapon is her sheer power, which puts relentless pressure on her opponents.
Zheng Qinwen
The Chinese player may not boast the same high-profile results, but she certainly has potential. This season, Zheng’s best runs came at Indian Wells and Miami, where she reached the quarterfinals—losing to Sabalenka and Swiatek, respectively.
In Rome, Zheng started with a win over Olga Danilović (6-1, 6-4), then advanced past Magdalena Fręch (6-3, 6-2), and in her last match defeated Bianca Andreescu 7-5, 6-1. Ranked eighth in the world, Zheng is still searching for her best form.
Match facts
- Sabalenka has won 11 of 12 matches on clay this season.
- Zheng has five victories in seven clay-court appearances this year.
- The odds for the upcoming match are: Sabalenka to win – 1.23, Zheng to win – 3.8.
Head-to-head
The players have faced each other six times, all on hard courts, with Sabalenka winning every encounter. Their most recent meeting was this season at the Miami tournament, where the Chinese player fell 2-6, 5-7.
Prediction
This match promises to attract plenty of attention in the tennis world, as two top-10 players square off. Sabalenka is a clear favorite, showcasing brilliant form and dominating their head-to-head history. Zheng’s chances are slim, and clay might prove even more challenging for her. My pick: Sabalenka to win with a -4.5 game handicap.
