China Open 2024: Emma Navarro vs Zhang Shuai preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds, and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (6) Emma Navarro vs (WC) Zhang Shuai
Date: September 27, 2024
Tournament: China Open 2024
Round: Second Round (Round of 64)
Venue: National Tennis Center, Beijing, China
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $8,955,610
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN
Emma Navarro vs Zhang Shuai preview
After a first-round bye, sixth seed Emma Navarro will square off against Zhang Shuai in the second round of the China Open 2024.
Navarro claimed her maiden title on the WTA Tour at the Hobart International at the start of the season, and used that as a springboard to further success. She performed better and better with every subsequent Major this year. She reached the third round of the Australian Open, and then went a round further at the French Open.
Navarro ousted Coco Gauff en route to the Wimbledon quarterfinals. She got the better of her younger compatriot once again at the US Open, ending her title defense in the fourth round. She then lost to eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals.
The 23-year-old made her top-10 debut at No. 8 thanks to her run in New York. She also made the semifinals of the Canadian Open, and the quarterfinals of the Indian Wells Open, and the third round of the Paris Olympics.
Zhang was drawn against McCartney Kessler in the first round of the China Open. The home favorite rallied from a break down in the opening set and stopped her opponent from serving out the set to even the score. She then came out on top in the ensuing tie-break to take a one-set lead.
Every time Zhang put herself ahead in the second set, Kessler found a way to negate the lead. The former led by a break thrice, and even held a match point at 5-4 but the latter dug deep to keep herself alive. The set soon went to a tie-break, in which the Chinese outplayed her rival for a 7-6 (5), 7-6 (1) win.
Emma Navarro vs Zhang Shuai head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between them, so the head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.
Emma Navarro vs Zhang Shuai odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Emma Navarro vs Zhang Shuai prediction
Zhang's win over Kessler finally snapped her 24-match losing skid which started in January 2023. She set the record for the longest losing streak in the Open Era by either a male or female player. To win a match after such a long time, that too in front of her home crowd, must have been a huge moment for her.
Zhang didn't let the wasted match point get to her, and countered Kessler's serve quite well. Nevertheless, she'll need to up the ante against one of the season's most consistent players, Navarro.
The American has a 30-11 record on hardcourts this season. Zhang will need to play some inspired tennis to one-up Navarro. While she's capable of doing so, it's hard to imagine her doing so in her current form.
Pick: Emma Navarro to win in straight sets.