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Match details
Fixture: Vera Zvonareva vs Qinwen Zheng.
Tournament: BNP Paribas Open.
Round: First round (Round of 128).
Venue: Indian Wells, California, USA.
Category: WTA 1000.
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt.
Prize money: $8,369,455.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Vera Zvonareva vs Qinwen Zheng preview
2009 champion Vera Zvonareva will lock horns with World No. 74 Qinwen Zheng in the first round of the 2022 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, California.
Since making the last four at the WTA 125 event in Limoges in December, Zvonareva has been on a poor run of form. The World No. 114 has managed to win just one match this year and arrives in Indian Wells on the back of a six-match losing streak.
The Russian will be desperate to end her slump at a tournament she has won previously. However, she won't find it easy as her opponent comes into this tournament with plenty of confidence.
One of the brightest stars to emerge from China in recent times, 19-year-old Zheng has been making rapid strides on the tour. Since December 2020, she has won as many as five events on the ITF circuit, truly establishing her talent.
The teen made a thunderous start to the 2022 season, reaching the semifinals from the qualifying rounds at the Melbourne Summer Set 1. She then qualified for her maiden Grand Slam event at the Australian Open before losing in the second round to Maria Sakkari.
In her most recent event at Monterrey, Zheng put up a gritty fight only to go down to eventual champion Leylah Fernandez in a third-set tie-break in the pre-quarterfinals.
The Chinese will be eager to make amends when she takes the court against Zvonareva in the Californian desert.
Vera Zvonareva vs Qinwen Zheng head-to-head
Qinwen Zheng leads the head-to-head against Vera Zvonareva 1-0. The Chinese won 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 in their only meeting so far at the Melbourne Summer Set earlier this year.
Vera Zvonareva vs Qinwen Zheng prediction
Zheng got the better of Zvonareva just a couple of months ago and will have the upper hand coming into this contest.
The youngster hits her groundstrokes with plenty of power and depth, and can also make forays into the net whenever she senses the opportunity. However, she sometimes struggles to control her aggression.
Zvonareva needs to make Zheng move all over the court in order to eke out errors from her racquet. The Russian's backhand is a real weapon and could put her opponent in a spot of bother if she manages to find the lines consistently.
But keeping up with the speed of an opponent 18 years younger might prove to be an uphill task for the 37-year-old. Zheng has won many more matches than Zvonareva this year and should be able to come through.
Prediction: Qinwen Zheng to win in three sets.
