Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WTA Berlin match.
The early draw at the WTA Berlin tournament has raised plenty of eyebrows. A clash between the world No.11 and the world No.4 in the first round seems harsh, considering both are capable of reaching at least the quarter-finals. Let's assess which of the two holds the upper hand.
Elena Rybakina
Elena Rybakina has had a shaky start to her grass-court campaign. She competed in London but was knocked out in the quarter-finals by world No.43 Tatjana Maria (4:6, 6:7). Before that, her only win came against Heather Watson, who is currently ranked outside the top 150. Rybakina’s conversion rate on break points was particularly troubling—just 17%. If this inefficiency persists, Qinwen Zheng is well-positioned to capitalise.
Qinwen Zheng
Qinwen Zheng also took part in the London tournament and produced a much stronger showing. She defeated world No.42 McCartney Kessler (6:3, 4:6, 7:5) and Emma Raducanu (6:2, 6:4), before narrowly losing to Amanda Anisimova in the semi-finals (2:6, 6:4, 4:6). What matters most is that Qinwen Zheng has delivered consistently high-level tennis throughout the season. At Roland Garros, her only defeat came at the hands of world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka (6:7, 3:6).
Elena Rybakina vs Qinwen Zheng Prediction
It’s surprising to see the world No.4 labelled as the underdog. The logic behind this is unclear, and there's good reason to take advantage of the situation. Even if Qinwen Zheng does not come out on top, she is more than capable of claiming at least one set.
