🎾 WTA Charleston: Zheng Qinwen vs Ekaterina Alexandrova

🎾 WTA Charleston: Zheng Qinwen vs Ekaterina Alexandrova – Match Preview

🧠 Form & Context

🇨🇳 Zheng Qinwen

• 🌪 Clay queen in the making: Riding a 13-match clay-court winning streak dating back to her 2024 Palermo and Olympic titles.
• 🇺🇸 US surge continues: Reached QFs in Indian Wells, Miami, and now Charleston — a stellar swing.
• 😤 Battle-tested: Survived a tough R3 test against Mertens, showing clutch serving and mental grit.
• 🏁 Hungry for more: Seeking her first semifinal of 2025 — motivation won’t be lacking here.

🇷🇺 Ekaterina Alexandrova

• 🔥 Back from the brink: Snapped a 4-match losing streak and hasn’t looked back — dropped just 4 games total in wins over Ann Li and Diana Shnaider.
• 💣 Top-20 slayer: Has beaten Sabalenka, Pegula, and now Shnaider — all in dominant fashion this season.
• 🏆 Charleston comfort: Semifinalist in 2022 and 2–0 vs Zheng on clay — history is on her side.
• 🔄 Streaky but lethal: When in form, she plays top-10 tennis. The question is: can she sustain it?

🔍 Match Breakdown

This match is all about contrast in control. Zheng brings movement, margin, and composure — her rally tolerance and shot discipline have been key to her 13-match clay streak. She’ll look to extend points, mix spins, and draw errors.

Alexandrova brings fire. Flat, fearless, and explosive off both wings, she’ll try to end rallies quickly. If she finds her zone early, she can hit through Zheng — like she’s done in two previous clay-court wins.

The key lies in depth and duration. If the match stretches beyond 90 minutes, Zheng’s athleticism and problem-solving tilt the odds. But a fast start from Alexandrova could throw everything off script.

🔮 Prediction

Pick: Zheng Qinwen in 3 sets

Zheng is inching closer to her first semifinal of the year, and Charleston may finally be the breakthrough. But don’t blink — Alexandrova has the tools to wreck the plan if she redlines again.