Ashlyn Krueger vs Wang Yafan – China Open Beijing Tennis Prediction and Pick 9/26/24

Ashlyn Krueger and Wang Yafan meet in the first round of the 2024 China Open in Beijing. The match is scheduled for Thursday, September 26, 2024. Here’s our Ashlyn Krueger vs Wang Yafan prediction. This preview will also contain an Ashlyn Krueger vs Wang Yafan pick.

Ashlyn Krueger vs Wang Yafan Preview

Ashlyn Krueger will begin her 2024 Asian swing at the China Open in Beijing. Last year, Krueger battled through the qualifying rounds to reach the main draw but lost to Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur in the opening round. 

This year, Krueger arrives in Beijing while ranked among the top 70. Her ranking has taken a major hit from a career-high of No. 51 to 68th this week because of the points she dropped from Osaka, Japan (she won the title last year). Krueger will be able to retain those points next month because the tournament has been allocated a new spot on the WTA calendar.

The American has won 27 of 50 matches this season, including 10 of her last 15 on hard courts. 

Wang Yafan will be playing on home soil this week. The 30-year-old Chinese player is ranked 58th in the WTA rankings, which is 11 spots shy from her career-high ranking. Wang has played in the main draw of the China Open four times in the past, but last featured in 2019 when she reached the second round and lost to Elina Svitolina.

She hasn’t played competitively since the US Open earlier this month, when she sensationally reached the fourth round with victories over Maria Sakkari and Victoria Azarenka. Overall, she is 23-21 this season and has won nine of her last 14 matches on hard courts.

Ashlyn Krueger vs Wang Yafan Head-To-Head

•Krueger leads Wang 1-0 in their head-to-head. They played at this year’s Nottinhagma Open, where the American won 6-3, 6-3.

Ashlyn Krueger vs Wang Yafan Prediction

Wang is more than capable of grinding out a result here on home turf, but I will have to back the numbing power of Krueger. She is the bigger server and a much more fluid baseliner. She also won the pair’s only meeting this year quite comfortably. 

Nur Said's Pick: Ashlyn Krueger in straight sets