Cincinnati 2023: Venus Williams vs Zheng Qinwen preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick | Western & Southern Open

Match details

Fixture: Venus Williams vs Zheng Qinwen

Tournament: Western & Southern Open 2023

Round: Second round (Round of 32)

Date: August 16

Venue: Cincinnati, US

Category: WTA 1000

Surface: Hard

Prize money: $2,788,468

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - Sportsnet, TVA Sports | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Sony Liv

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Venus Williams vs Zheng Qinwen preview

Home favorite Venus Williams will take on Zheng Qinwen at the 2023 Western & Southern Open in what could easily be viewed as a clash between two entirely different generations of the sport.

Williams, who returned to the sport after an injury break in June, has managed to put together a 3-3 win-loss record since. Her first win upon returning to action in June came on the grass courts of Birmingham as she beat the big-hitting Camila Giorgi in a three-set thriller.

The American would go on to lose her next three matches but posted her first top-20 win in four years in her first match here in Cincinnati. Williams overcame deficits in both sets to bundle out 16th seed Veronika Kudermetova 6-4, 7-5.

Zheng Qinwen made an early exit in Montreal.

Zheng, meanwhile, continues to look for momentum on the American hardcourts. The Chinese player had lifted her first WTA crown in Palermo last month, only to make early exits in both Washinton and Montreal.

Having opened her Westerna and Southern Open campaign with a comprehensive 6-1, 6-4 win over Aliaksandrova Sasnovich, Zheng will be looking to rediscover the winning formula heading into the US Open.

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Venus Williams vs Zheng Qinwen head-to-head

Williams and Zheng have never crossed paths on the Tour before, so their current head-to-head stands at 0-0.

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Venus Williams vs Zheng Qinwen odds

Player	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Sets
Venus Williams
Zheng Qinwen

(Odds will be added when they are released)

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Venus Williams vs Zheng Qinwen prediction

Williams posted her first top-20 win in four years in her first match here in Cincinnati.

Both Venus Williams and Zheng Qinwen possess big first serves and will rely on that shot to do the heavy lifting in this exciting second-round encounter.

Zheng in particular can go on a roll when striking the first delivery well. Her 225 aces are the sixth-most for the season and she looked dialled in in that department during her opener against Sansnovich — dropping only one point behind her first serve.

In such a scenario, Williams will need to be at her best on her return game to stand a chance at breaking Zheng. Luckily for her, the American got a taste of some big serving against Kudermetova — coming up trumps in the key moments to break her on four occasions,

An on-song Zheng can be a treat to watch, but the Chinese is just as prone to going off the rails when pitted against tenacious opponents who don't give her much for free. And given the fighting spirit that Williams has shown in her recent matches, the American may prove to be just the kind of opponent that sends Zheng packing.

Pick: Williams to win in three sets