Will the dominant Belarusian once again remain without dropping a set?
With four commanding 2-0 wins in which she never surrendered more than five games, Aryna Sabalenka moved into the quarterfinals of the US Open 2023 in very convincing fashion. A development that could certainly have been expected in the run-up to the tournament. After all, the Belarusian has reached at least the semifinals in six of the last eight Grand Slam tournaments and is currently probably the most consistent player on the WTA Tour. Consequently, our tip for Qinwen Zheng against Aryna Sabalenka is for the future world number one to advance.
Because of Iga Swiatek’s elimination in the round of 16, it is already clear that regardless of how the tournament progresses, Aryna Sabalenka will be ranked number one in the WTA world rankings for the first time in her career next Monday. A milestone in her career, which she could sweeten with the overall victory at the US Open. At least in the case of Qinwen Zheng against Aryna Sabalenka, our prediction is for a clear victory for the Belarusian.
Qinwen Zheng, meanwhile, has had to stretch much more during the tournament and has already dropped two sets on the way to her first ever quarterfinal in a Grand Slam tournament. However, at least the Chinese player’s strong performance in the round of 16 against Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur (WTA 5) made people sit up and take notice when she recorded a 2-0 win over the Tunisian.
Nevertheless, we believe that Qinwen Zheng will now reach her limits against the dominant and consistent Aryna Sabalenka. Accordingly, the betting is high on the Belarusian to remain without losing a set in the fifth match of this year’s US Open and reach the semifinals of a Grand Slam tournament for the fifth time in a row.
Qinwen Zheng – statistics & current form
Current ranking in the world: 23
Position in the seedings: 23
The 20-year-old Chinese Qinwen Zheng, who says she favors the grass court, has only been making regular appearances at WTA Tour tournaments since the beginning of 2022.
However, the player from Shiyan was able to record her first singles title on the WTA Tour this summer, which, however, goes back to a comparatively small clay-court tournament in Italy. At the Palermo International, she beat Jasmine Paolini (WTA 52) 2-1 in the final of a WTA 250 tournament.
Won six of seven singles matches at the US Open
In major tournaments, on the other hand, the Chinese has not yet achieved too much. In 2022, she reached a quarterfinal at the Canadian Open for the first time, but that was the end of the line, as was the quarterfinal at the Italian Open, which she reached this spring.
In Grand Slam tournaments, the only time she has reached the round of 16 was at the French Open in 2022. This makes the 20-year-old’s strong run at this year’s US Open all the more surprising, where she reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her career after four wins. That takes her tally at Flushing Meadows to six wins from seven completed singles matches.
Lost twelve of 16 duels with top-20 players in 2023
Despite this, the odds are now clearly against another win for Qinwen Zheng against Aryna Sabalenka for the lady from Shiyan, who not only doesn’t have too much experience yet, but has also already reached her limits several times overall this year.
The 20-year-old, who is incidentally coached by Wim Fisette, under whom Simona Halep, Angelique Kerber and Naomi Osaka have already celebrated great successes, has won 29 of her 45 singles matches in the 2023 season, but was defeated in four of her 16 duels with opponents from the current top 20 of the WTA world rankings in the run-up to the US Open.
Aryna Sabalenka – statistics & current form
Current position in the world ranking: 2
Position in the seedings: 2
The 25-year-old Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka has not only already won five major titles at tournaments from the WTA 1000 category, but was also able to crown herself a Grand Slam winner at the Australian Open 2023.
In addition to winning the WTA Finals, where she was surprisingly defeated by Caroline Garcia in the final in 2022, the only thing she is missing so far is the top position in the WTA world rankings. However, it is precisely this missing piece of the puzzle that will now come true due to the early exit of Iga Swiatek, regardless of the further course of the tournament.
With four smooth 2:0 wins into the quarterfinals
Not only is Qinwen Zheng’s betting on the lady from Minsk advancing against Aryna Sabalenka high, but the Belarusian’s chances of winning the overall women’s singles title at the US Open are also good. In Grand Slam tournaments on hard courts, the 25-year-old currently has eleven wins in a row, in which she has only dropped a single set.
In Flushing Meadows, the vest of the designated world number one remained bright white. In none of the eight sets played so far at the 2023 US Open did Aryna Sabalenka drop more than three games. Most recently, she dispatched Russian Daria Kasatkina (WTA 14) 6-1, 6-3 in just 76 minutes in the round of 16.
At the moment probably the most consistent player on the WTA Tour
It is above all her consistency that makes the Belarusian a worthy world number one. She will be only the 29th player in history to top the women’s rankings as of next Monday, a fact which, in addition to her overall victory at the Australian Open, is also due to the fact that she has always reached at least the semifinals at six of the last eight Grand Slam tournaments.
In 2023, Aryna Sabalenka already has 48 wins from 58 singles matches played, and she has already won three tournaments this season.
Qinwen Zheng – Aryna Sabalenka Direct comparison / H2H record
Head to head: 0:0
There has never been a rated singles match in the past on the WTA Tour between the two players, who are now facing each other for the first time ever. Accordingly, there is no “head to head” data available yet that could influence the forecast for Qinwen Zheng against Aryna Sabalenka.
Qinwen Zheng – Aryna Sabalenka tip
While Qinwen Zheng has advanced to the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time ever in her career, Aryna Sabalenka has already reached at least the semifinals in each of the first three Grand Slam tournaments of the 2023 season. The Belarusian even won the Australian Open 2023. Accordingly, the role of favorite is clearly assigned to the designated world number one, who, due to the early exit of Iga Swiatek next Monday, will be the new world number one regardless of the further course of the women’s singles.
Although the Chinese already managed to cause a surprise in the round of 16 with a smooth 2:0 over Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur (WTA 5), we don’t see any indications that she will now be able to trip up the so consistent Belarusian as well. We are therefore betting on a 2:0 victory for the designated world number one.
Betway offers odds of 1.85 on Qinwen Zheng vs. Aryna Sabalenka, which we play with four units.
