Madrid Open Prediction: Sofia Kenin vs Qinwen Zheng
06:20 AM EDT
The Line: Betting Odds: Sofia Kenin +200 / Qinwen Zheng -278
Sofia Kenin vs Qinwen Zheng Preview
Sofia Kenin defeated fellow American Ashlyn Krueger in the first round of the Madrid Open. The match took 23 games to decide. Kenin prevailed in the first set tiebreak after 48 minutes. Kenin looked on course at 5-3 up and serving for the match, but Krueger broke back. But the big-hitting Texan failed to hold serve in the next game and surrendered the match. Kenin won 7-6, 6-4 in an hour and 34 minutes. In the victory, Kenin hit 4 aces and 5 double faults. She landed 62% of first serves in play and won 71% of first serve points (30/42). Kenin won 58% of second serve points (15/26) and saved two of four break points in the match. Overall, Kenin won 38% of return points (28/73). This is only the second time in her career she has reached the second round of the Madrid Open, after doing so last year in her run to the third round.
Qinwen Zheng is entering the Madrid Open ranked 36th in the WTA rankings. This is her first tournament since losing to Aryna Sabalenka at the Miami Open. Zheng is seeded at No. 32 and is the case at the event, she received a BYE in the first round and will begin her campaign in the Spanish capital in the second round stage. This is her fifth participation in Madrid. She has reached the third round once and lost in the second round in each of her last two participations.
Zheng has played just seven matches this season. She returned to action from elbow surgery at the Qatar Open and reached the last 16 there. She played at the Sunshine Double, losing her opening match in Indian Wells to Antonia Ruzic, but won a couple of matches in Miami before the defeat to Sabalenka. Zheng was expected to kick off her clay-court swing in Stuttgart, but pulled out due to injury.