Wuhan Open 2024: Zheng Qinwen vs Leylah Fernandez preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (5) Zheng Qinwen vs Leylah Fernandez
Date: October 10, 2024
Tournament: Wuhan Open 2024
Round: Third Round (Round of 16)
Venue: Optics Valley International Tennis Center, Hubei Province, China
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Hardcourt
Prize money: $3,221,715
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime | Canada - TSN
Zheng Qinwen vs Leylah Fernandez preview
Fifth seed Zheng Qinwen will take on Leylah Fernandez in the third round of the Wuhan Open. The winner of the match will take on either third seed Jasmine Paolini or Erika Andreeva in the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 event.
Zheng has produced some impressive performances so far this season, notably reaching the Australian Open final. The 22-year-old entered the Wuhan Open after reaching the semifinals of the China Open. Being among the seeded players, the Chinese received a bye to the second round of the WTA 1000 tournament.
Zheng faced Romanian wildcard Jaqueline Cristian in the second round in Wuhan and started strongly by winning the first set 6-2. She was a break down in the second but bounced back to register a 6-2, 6-4 win and reach the third round of the Wuhan Open.
Leylah Fernandez has not had the best of seasons in 2024 but has produced some impressive performances, including reaching the final of the Rothesay International in Eastbourne and quarterfinal runs at two WTA 1000 events in Doha and Cincinnati.
The Canadian entered the Wuhan Open at the back of a three-match losing streak, which came to an end with her 6-7(7), 6-3, 6-3 win over 12th seed Diana Shnaider in the first round. Fernandez faced Russian lucky loser Kamilla Rakhimova in the second round and got off to a flying start by winning the first set 6-2.
Rakhimova bounced back to win the second set 7-5 and forced the match into a decider. Both players exchanged breaks in the final set and a tiebreak ensued. The Russian took a 3-0 lead but Fernandez won seven out of the next eight points to register a 6-2, 5-7, 7-6(4) win and reach the Round of 16 at the Wuhan Open.
Zheng Qinwen vs Leylah Fernandez head-to-head
Fernandez leads 2-0 in the head-to-head between the two. Their most recent encounter came in the third round of the Qatar Open this year, with the Canadian winning 7-5, 6-3.
Zheng Qinwen vs Leylah Fernandez odds
All odds sourced from BETMGM.
Zheng Qinwen vs Leylah Fernandez prediction
Zheng Qinwen will enter the match as the favorite to win given her relatively superior run of form and recent performances. However, Fernandez won both of the two's prior encounters, including one this season, so she cannot be written off.
Zheng has a pretty effective serve that has fetched her 38 aces from six matches so far in the Asian swing. The 22-year-old will look to make the most out of her aggressive game and powerful groundstrokes and will try to attack from the start of the match.
Leylah Fernandez has served eight aces so far at the Wuhan Open and will look to fetch as many free points as she can against Zheng Qinwen. However, the Canadian has also served 22 double-faults and she cannot produce too many of those, not against someone of the Chinese's quality.
Fernandez is a pretty talented player with a high rally tolerance and her stamina and on-court movement will come in handy to deal with Zheng's intensity.
While the Canadian has beaten the Chinese in both of their previous encounters, it's hard to rule out a win for the latter given the kind of tennis she has been playing.
Pick: Zheng to win in straight sets.