Charleston Open 2022: Sloane Stephens vs Qinwen Zheng preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (13) Sloane Stephens vs Qinwen Zheng.
Date: 5 April 2022.
Tournament: Charleston Open 2022.
Round: First round.
Venue: Charleston, USA.
Category: WTA 500.
Surface: Outdoor clay (green).
Prize money: $888,636.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Sloane Stephens vs Qinwen Zheng preview
Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens will square off against World No. 72 Qinwen Zheng in the first round of the 2022 Charleston Open.
A title in Guadalaraja has been the highlight of Stephens' year so far. She defeated Marie Bouzkova in the final to lift her seventh career title and her first since winning the 2018 Miami Open. The American's results otherwise leave a lot to be desired.
Stephens started the year by losing in the first round of the Australian Open to Emma Raducanu. She then won the aforementioned title in Guadalajara, raising hopes that she would be back to her best. However, she was knocked out in the opening round of the Indian Wells Open by Naomi Osaka. She did slightly better in Miami, where she lost to Jessica Pegula in the second round.
Stephens is a former Charleston Open champion, having won the title in 2016. A former Roland Garros finalist, she certainly knows how to play on clay, so a change in surface could perhaps herald a change in her results as well.
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Qinwen Zheng has made a fair amount of progress this year, reaching a career-high ranking of No. 72 in March. She started the year with a last-four finish at the Melbourne Summer Set, losing to Simona Halep in her maiden WTA semifinal.
The Chinese teenager's best results since then have been second-round appearances at the Australian Open, Monterrey Open and the Indian Wells Open. Zheng lost to Magda Linette in straight sets at the Miami Open.
She has done quite well on clay on the ITF circuit, though, winning four titles. At the WTA level, she has competed in just one tournament on the surface, the 2021 Palermo Open, where she made it to the second round.
Sloane Stephens vs Qinwen Zheng head-to-head
The duo are set to face off against each other for the first time, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Sloane Stephens vs Qinwen Zheng prediction
Zheng faces a stern test in the form of Stephens, who at her best is one of the most skilled player of her generation. But the American will need to put her recent disappointing results behind her and start anew in Charleston.
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Stephens is the more experienced of the two, and she should use that to her advantage. The American is an excellent mover on clay and will be content to put balls in play and test Zheng's movement. If the Chinese is lacking in that department, Stephens will take full advantage.
The 2017 US Open champion will need to defend her serve well though. In her previous match in Miami, her serving numbers weren't up to the mark. She won just 52% and 33% of her first and second serve points respectively.
Zheng, meanwhile, is a capable returner. If Stephens has an off-day while serving, the Chinese youngster could do some damage.
Both players are looking to start the clay season on a positive note, but Stephens' fondness for the surface and her skill should tilt the scales in her favor.
Prediction: Sloane Stephens to win in straight sets.