Zhengzhou Open 2023: Barbora Krejcikova vs Daria Kasatkina preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds, and pick
Match details
Fixture: (7) Barbora Krejcikova vs (8) Daria Kasatkina
Date: October 14, 2023
Tournament: Zhengzhou Open 2023
Round: Semifinals
Venue: Henan Provincial Stadium, Zhengzhou, China
Category: WTA 500
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $780,637
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Barbora Krejcikova vs Daria Kasatkina preview
2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova will play against Daria Kasatkina in the semifinals of the 2023 Zhengzhou Open on Saturday.
Krejcikova was initially slated to face former Wimbledon semifinalist Tatjana Maria in the first round. However, the withdrawal of higher-ranked players bumped up the Czech to their slot and she received a bye into the second round.
Krejcikova then defeated Petra Martic 7-5, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals, where she was up against Lesia Tsurenko. The Czech claimed the first set 6-3, after which her opponent couldn't carry on due to an injury, and thus advanced to the semifinals.
Kasatkina was drawn against Timea Babos in her opener. The former captured the first set with ease and came through a tough test in the second set to win the match 6-1, 7-6 (7).
Kasatkina then scored a 6-2, 6-4 victory over home favorite Zhuoxuan Bai in the second round. Her win set up an exciting quarterfinal showdown against Ons Jabeur. Unfortunately, the Tunisian withdrew from the tournament citing an injury and gave the Russian a walkover into the next round.
Barbora Krejcikova vs Daria Kasatkina head-to-head
Krejcikova leads Kasatkina 2-1 in the head-to-head. The Czech won their most recent encounter at the 2023 Dubai Tennis Championships in three sets.
Barbora Krejcikova vs Daria Kasatkina odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Barbora Krejcikova vs Daria Kasatkina prediction
While Krejcikova advanced to the semis following Tsurenko's retirement, Kasatkina was the beneficiary of a walkover. Not the ideal circumstances to keep moving forward, but they'll be grateful for it nonetheless.
This will be the third meeting between the two this year. Kasatkina triumped in Adelaide and came quite close to replicating the feat in Dubai again. However, Krejcikova saved four match points to score an impressive comeback win.
Kasatkina's nerves have gotten the better of her a few times this season. Her meltdown against Krejcikova in Dubai wasn't her only loss after having match points. The Russian's serve also seems to have regressed by a fair margin.
Krejcikova has already won a WTA 1000 title this season, while Kasatkina's best results have been a couple of runner-up finishes at the WTA 500 level. With a 3-10 record against top 20 players this season, the Russian has been their punching bag.
Krejcikova's versatility has helped her break down Kasatkina's defense in the past. Given how they've played so far, the Czech's chances of coming out on top remain very high.
Pick: Barbora Krejcikova to win in straight sets.