US Open 2024: Zheng Qinwen vs Amanda Anisimova preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (7) Zheng Qinwen vs Amanda Anisimova
Date: TBS
Tournament: US Open 2024
Round: First Round
Venue: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, New York, USA
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $75,000,000
Live Telecast: USA - ESPN | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN, RDS
Zheng Qinwen vs Amanda Anisimova preview
The opening round of the 2024 US Open will have two big strikers of the tennis ball — Amanda Anisimova and Zheng Qinwen — clash in an intriguing battle.
Zheng, the seventh seed at this year’s tournament, comes in fresh off her Olympics triumph. Her transition onto the North American hardcourts was not the smoothest given that she was beaten comprehensively in the Cincinnati Open second round by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
The Chinese, however, still boasts of a solid 25-13 win-loss for the season (excluding her Olympics matches) and will be a difficult opponent to overcome.
Anisimova, for one, continues her return to the sport after a layoff. After a slow start to the season, The World No. 49 has come into her own during the North American hardcourt swing.
The American made the quarterfinal at the Citi Open before reaching her first-ever WTA 1000 final at the Canadian Open with wins over Aryna Sabalenka, Daria Kasatkina, and Anna Kalinskaya. Her win-loss for the season has thus also improved to 17-10.
Zheng Qinwen vs Amanda Anisimova head-to-head
This will be the first career meeting between Zheng and Anisimova, hence their head-to-head stands at 0-0.
Zheng Qinwen vs Amanda Anisimova odds
(Odds from BetMGM)
Zheng Qinwen vs Amanda Anisimova prediction
Both Zheng Qinwen and Amanda Anisimova possess big serves and explosive groundstrokes, so fans can expect a few fireworks when the two meet in the opening round.
That being said, Zheng is much more comfortable on the slightly slower courts as evidenced by her run at the Paris Olympics. The Chinese player has a long takeback on her groundstrokes and needs that little extra time on the ball.
Unfortunately for her, time is a luxury that Anisimova does not let her opponents afford. The American goes after almost every ball and likes to hit flat and fast.
Her return numbers were astonishing in Cincinnati as she won an astounding near-50% points returning the first serve in four of her six matches.
Zheng will need to be prepared for the ball coming flying at her. The quick American hardcourts favor big-hitting, and the Chinese has had little time to adapt to the conditions. If she isn’t careful, Zheng risks being blown away by Anisimova’s raw power.
Prediction: Anisimova to win in three sets