The Grand Slam season might be behind us, but the tennis action is far from over! As the Asian Swing heats up, top players are pushing hard to make their mark in the remaining tournaments, and fans are in for a treat. Two players to watch out for in Beijing are Madison Keys and Sara Sorribes Tormo, who are gearing up for an exciting encounter as the China Open moves ahead. With Keys’ powerful game and Sorribes Tormo’s gritty style, this match in the second round of the China Open promises to be a thrilling battle of skill and strategy.

Can Madison Keys overcome the Spanish force as they two meet on the Lotus Court on Saturday? Well, we’ll know in less than 24 hours from now. 

Madison Keys vs Sara Sorribes: Preview

Madison Keys will be playing her first match after her defeat in the third round of the US Open against Elise Mertens. However, the World No. 24 has witnessed satisfying results as well this season with a title win at Strasbourg, where she outshined Danielle Collins in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2 in the final. The American star also holds decent numbers on the hard courts with a 5-4 win-loss ratio, which can give her some confidence boost at the China Open. Overall, she has played 32 matches this season and has emerged victorious in 22 of them. 

Sara Sorribes, on the other hand, has struggled a lot this season and has remained titleless in singles events. In her last match though, she whisked out Gao Xinyu in a three-setter by 6(4)-7, 7-5, 7-5. Sorribes made only two double faults and outshined her Chinese counterpart with an 84% first-serve success. However, she has not witnessed remarkable success in the singles tournament this season with a win-loss record of 15-22. 

Keys vs Sorribes: Head-to-Head

Keys and Sorribes have played against each other only once in their careers and it was long back in 2018. And guess what? Sorribes overshadowed the American star in a shocking defeat in straight sets.

• 2018 Mutua Madrid Open R64: Sorribes 7-5, 6-2

Prediction: Keys to win in three sets 

Madison Keys has a clear advantage against Sorribes in their upcoming match at the China Open. The 29-year-old has depicted some finest skills on the hardcourts and the conditions at the tournament are expected to give a boost to her gameplay. She has fired 124 aces this season, thanks to her aggressive playing style. Besides, with a service win percentage of 74.3%, Keys has secured 66.1% 1st serve victories.

Sara Sorribes, on the other hand, has played one more match as compared to Keys this season but has hit only 14 aces throughout. Besides, she has won only 50.4% of her service games this year with a first-serve win percentage of 52.7%. While she gains confidence from her volley game, this might not be too effective against Keys’ powerful forehand. The Spaniard is also coming off a grueling 4-hour 15-minute match in the previous round which might impact the physical aspects of her game. 

Sorribes might take the lead at certain points and can even win a set. But eventually, Keys’ experience is expected to come to the fore, as she is expected to win the match.