Aryna Sabalenka vs Ashlyn Krueger Prediction China Open Tennis Picks 9/30/24

Aryna Sabalenka kicked off her 2024 China Open campaign with a routine straight-sets win over the qualifier from Thailand Mananchaya Sawangkaew. The match took 17 games to decide and lasted 77 minutes. 

In the victory, Sabalenka registered three aces and one double fault. She landed 63% of first serves in the match. Sabalenka won 75% of first-serve points (30/40) and 46% of second-serve points (11/24).

Sabalenka converted four of seven break points, while she was only broken once during the match. The Belarusian improves to 47-11 for the season and is currently riding on a 13-match win streak.

Ashlyn Krueger, for her part, has scored two wins to reach the third round of the China Open for the first time. After losing in the first round of this event last year, Krueger got the better of home player Wang Yafan for her maiden win in Beijing. 

In the second round, she defeated New Zealand's Lulu Sun in straight sets in a match that took 20 games to decide. Once again, the serve proved to be the bedrock of Krueger's game, winning 79% of first-serve points (27/34) and 70% of second-serve points (16/23). She only faced one break point in the match, which she saved.

Aryna Sabalenka vs Ashlyn Krueger Head-To-Head

• Sabalenka and Krueger have no previous history at this level. So this will be their first-ever meeting.

Aryna Sabalenka vs Ashlyn Krueger Prediction

This is a tall order for the tall American from Texas. Sabalenka is the WTA's most in-form player on 13-match win streak which includes back-to-back titles in Cincinnati and the US Open. And if there were doubts that she would take her foot off the pedal, then Sabalenka quashed them with a routine opening win. Krueger will certainly make it competitive with her big serve, but I can't see the Belarusian losing her first match since early August at this stage.