By Siring Adol Caur
- Jasmine Paolini [4] v Qinwen Zheng [7]
- Aryna Sabalenka [1] v Elena Rybakina [5]
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – On Day five of the WTA Finals, we will see the last set of round robin matches for the purple group as Jasmine Paolini takes on Qinwen Zheng for semi-finals qualification.
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Jasmine Paolini [4] v Qinwen Zheng [7] H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Jasmine Paolini [4] v Qinwen Zheng [7] | H2H: Zheng leads 3-0 |
| WTA Finals 2024 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| Indoor Hard | Prize Money: $350,000 |
| Second on Center Court (Not before 12:30 GMT) | Sky/Now TV <- Subscription Required |
The purple group will be in action for the third match of the respective players. The top leader from the purple group will face the number two player from the Orange group and vice-e-versa in the knock out round.
Jasmine Paolini has been full force action this season and is eyeing to stay at number two in the group to qualify for knock-outs. She lost her last match to the world number one in straight sets while she won her first match in straight sets against Rybakina. The Italian put pressure on her opponent in the last match and broke her serve thrice in the match, which was unusual given the difference in their heights, but could not push the match to a decider. She ought to win the last match to face an opponent in the semi-finals of the WTA Finals.
Qinwen Zheng, making the right use of the advantage over a rusty Rybakina, made her way through the match in three sets. After losing the second set to her, Zheng hard left any opportunities for the Kazakh to take a game to her name. Winning the last five games of the match, Zheng broke Rybakina’s serve twice and disoriented her game and easily dominated. The flair in the game of the Chinese is a threat to Paolini turning up number three in the group and not qualifying for the knock-outs. Her aces act as a catalyst against the top players, whenever required.
Zheng has won all their three meetings, twice on hard and once on clay. She was winless against Sabalenka and Rybakina, but the turn of the tale favoured her and she stands with a win to her name against the world number 5. She might give such a chance to Paolini tomorrow or remain undefeated against the Italian and go on to qualify for the semi-finals.
Prediction: Zheng in three sets.
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Aryna Sabalenka [1] v Elena Rybakina [5] H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Aryna Sabalenka [1] v Elena Rybakina [5] | H2H: Sabalenka leads 6-3 |
| WTA Finals 2024 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| Indoor Hard | Prize Money: $350,000 |
| Third on Center Court (Not before 15:00 GMT) | Sky/Now TV <- Subscription Required |
The second match of day three will see the Belarussian going against her seasoned rival, Rybakina. Having faced and won a match each this year, the players themselves are looking forward to this meeting. Aryna Sabalenka, leading the table has booked her place in the semi-final, while the world number five cannot qualify, given her losses to Paolini and Zheng in the past week. Sabalenka, leading the head-to-head, ad cognizant of the Kazakh’s game will enjoy the match as her opponent attested to the same.
Sabalenka won past Paolini, in a not-so-easy meeting. She dropped her serve thrice against the Italian, and second set was almost pushed to a decider before the world number 4 dropped her service and gave Sabalenka the leverage she needed.
Elena Rybakina, made a comeback in the first set from 4-1 down and stretched it to a tie-break, losing it 7-4. The second set was in her bag as she fired five aces and ten winners, and saved three out of four break points. Zheng dominated the third set as she did not let Rybakina win break points and hit eleven winners to Rybakina’s one. The Kazakh is going to enjoy the next meeting, as she said, as the result would not garner her a new place in the group.
Having an aggressive styled players on both the sides, the fast courts will have a tight game to observe between these two. It will be their tenth meeting, which appears favouring the leading one already.
Prediction: Sabalenka in straight sets.
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