China Open 2024: Jasmine Paolini vs Clara Tauson preview, head-to-head, prediction, and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (3) Jasmine Paolini vs Clara Tauson
Date: TBD
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
Jasmine Paolini vs Clara Tauson preview
The second round at the China Open will have Jasmine Paolini taking on the big-hitting Clara Tauson in an exciting encounter.
Paolini, the third seed at this year’s tournament, will be playing in her first tournament since the US Open where she made the fourth round. The Italian has been in top form in 2024, having lifted her first WTA 1000 tournament at Dubai and made back-to-back Grand Slam finals at Wimbledon and the French Open.
The 34-15 won-loss for the season is right up there with the best and she will be keen on getting a few more wins under her belt heading into the back end of the season.
Tauson, meanwhile, has a modest-at-best 24-21 win-loss for the season. Her best performances have come on clay, with a French Open fourth-round showing and a top-10 win over Maria Sakkari on the red dirt at the Billie Jean King Cup.
In the first round of the 2024 China Open, the Dane battled hard against Harriet Dart, coming through 5-7, 6-4, 6-1. Tauson possesses an explosive game that is well-suited for hardcourts and could cause a few problems for Paolini.
Jasmine Paolini vs Clara Tauson head-to-head
Paolini and Tauson have never crossed paths on the Tour before, so their current head-to-head stands at a 0-0 deadlock.
Jasmine Paolini vs Clara Tauson odds
(Odds will be added once they're available)
Jasmine Paolini vs Clara Tauson prediction
Given the huge gulf in world rankings, Jasmine Paolini will be the big favorite to win on paper. She will, however, be wary of the big-hitting Clara Tauson.
The Dane likes to go after each ball and dictate the pace. The high-risk game, however, at times results in a high number of unforced errors (she hit nine double faults in her opening match alone) and she cannot afford to give too many free points to her opponent.
Paolini is one of the best movers on court and chases down a lot of balls, frustrating her opponents into overpressing. Her newfound aggression has also yielded positive results for her.
The encounter will pit Tauson’s firepower against Paolini's more measured, all-round game, but given their recent run of form, the Italian has a definitive edge.
Prediction: Paolini to win in straight sets