China Open 2024: Hailey Baptiste vs Anna Kalinskaya preview, head-to-head, prediction and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (Q) Hailey Baptiste vs (10) Anna Kalinskaya
Date: September 27, 2024
Tournament: 2024 China Open
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
Hailey Baptiste vs Anna Kalinskaya preview
Hailey Baptiste will square off against 10th seed Anna Kalinskaya in the second round of the 2024 China Open on Friday, September 27.
Baptiste enters this encounter with a 33-23 match record on tour this year, having primarily competed on the ITF circuit. Her best results on the WTA tour include reaching the second rounds at Indian Wells and the French Open. She last featured at the Korea Open a week ago, where she defeated fellow American Sloane Stephens in the opening round before losing to top seed Daria Kasatkina.
Baptiste began her Beijing campaign in the qualifiers, beating Ruien Zhang and Priscilla Hon to secure her spot in the main draw. She breezed through her opener against Varvara Gracheva, dropping just three games in a dominant 6-0, 6-3 victory.
Kalinskaya, meanwhile, enters Beijing with an impressive 33-16 match record this year. She has made it to two finals so far in Dubai, where she lost to Jasmine Paolini, and in Berlin, where she lost to Jessica Pegula. Additionally, she reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and the fourth round at Wimbledon.
During her North American hardcourt swing, Kalinskaya reached the third round in Toronto and the second round in Cincinnati. However, she suffered a disappointing defeat in the third round of the US Open against 22nd seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, winning only four games in a lopsided match.
Hailey Baptiste vs Anna Kalinskaya head-to-head
Anna Kalinskaya leads Hailey Baptiste 1-0 in their head-to-head matchup. She won their only encounter 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (5) at the WTA 125 event in Midland last year.
Hailey Baptiste vs Anna Kalinskaya odds
(Odds to be added when available)
Hailey Baptiste vs Anna Kalinskaya prediction
Hailey Baptiste may not have had the best runs in the main draws leading up to Beijing, but she looked impressive in her opener, arguably playing some of her best tennis this year. She excelled on serve, winning 75% of points on her first serve and a remarkable 100% on her second serve. She didn’t get broken once and faced only one break point. On return, she was equally effective, breaking serve four times out of ten opportunities and winning a total of 27 receiving points out of 62.
Kalinskaya in contrast had a brilliant first half of the season on the hard courts but has struggled to replicate that form in the past couple of months. She has been severely prone to unforced errors, which has contributed to her inconsistency and ability to close out matches. Injuries and fatigue have also affected her performance recently, leading her to retire in both Toronto and Cincinnati. She hasn't competed since the US Open and is set to play her first match on tour in nearly a month.
The Russian enters this match as the favorite due to her superior hardcourt record this year and her greater experience compared to Baptiste. However, the American has been in outstanding form in the Chinese capital, having not dropped a set this week. She has been formidable on serve and at the net, posing a tricky challenge for the Russian.
While a close contest is expected between the pair, Kalinskaya is likely to prevail in straight sets.
Pick: Kalinskaya in straight sets.