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Match Details
Fixture: (5) Zheng Qinwen vs Leylah Fernandez
Date: February 14, 2024
Tournament: Qatar TotalEnergies Open 2024
Round: Third Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, Doha
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt
Prize money: $3,211,715
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN
Zheng Qinwen vs Leylah Fernandez preview
World No. 7 Zheng Qinwen will square off against Leylah Fernandez in the third round of the 2024 Qatar Open on Wednesday.
As one of the top seeds here, Zheng received a bye into the second round, where she faced Magda Linette. The 21-year-old raced to a 4-1 lead in the first set rather quickly and wrapped up the set soon after that as well.
Zheng had a couple of break points on Linette's serve in the very first game of the second set, but SHE failed to convert. This proved to be quite costly as the Pole didn't make the same mistake with her break point chances in the very next game to go 2-0 up.
Linette secured another break of serve in the final game of the set to level the match. But she was unable to sustain the momentum in the final set, in which Zheng regained control of the match to score a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 win.
Fernandez kicked off her campaign here with a 7-5, 7-6 (4) win over Liudmila Samsonova, who was a semifinalist at last week's Abu Dhabi Open. She then took on former World No. 2 Paula Badosa in the second round.
Fernandez struggled to get going in the first set and lost it without getting a single game to her name. The momentum swung her way in the next set as she jumped to a 5-1 lead.
While Badosa managed to break the Canadian's serve to make it 5-2, the latter broke back immediately to take the set. The two were on even footing until 3-3 in the third set, after which Fernandez nabbed the next three games to complete a 0-6, 6-2, 6-3 comeback victory.
Zheng Qinwen vs Leylah Fernandez head-to-head
Fernandez leads Zheng 1-0 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter at the 2022 Monterrey Open in three sets.
Zheng Qinwen vs Leylah Fernandez odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Zheng Qinwen vs Leylah Fernandez prediction
Zheng was tested by Linette in the previous round but raised her level when it mattered to get over the finish line. This was her first match since losing to Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the Australian Open a few weeks ago. Fernandez, meanwhile, overcame a dismal start to prevail against Badosa.
The two crossed paths almost a couple of years ago in Monterrey, with Fernandez edging past Zheng in the third set tie-break. While the former was still riding the high after reaching the final of the US Open back then, the latter was an upcoming player.
Zheng has now risen to the top, though there's work to be done. Fernandez has the potential to frustrate the 21-year-old with her doggedness. She's great at extending the points and creating some tricky angles to hit her shots.
It will be crucial for Zheng to remain in control of the points from the start and to keep them short as well. Based on their recent results, the Chinese is the favorite in this match-up, though one cannot rule out Fernandez completely.
Pick: Zheng Qinwen to win in three sets.
