No one had ever thought that Barbora Krejcikova would come out of the make it to the SF at the WTA Finals. Everyone was literally stunned by her recent performance against America’s Coco Gauff. Next up for the Czech superstar is China’s Qinwen Zheng. Speaking about her next challenge, Krejcikova said, “It will be a great challenge… but I feel like I have absolutely nothing to lose. I will go out there, play my best tennis, and aim for the final.” Can Zheng bring an end to Krejcikova’s hope of appearing in the final in Riyadh by securing a victory in the epic SF clash on Friday, November 8?

Qinwen Zheng vs Barbora Krejcikova: Preview

Qinwen Zheng started her season with a bang by making it to the final of the 2024 AO. However, she lost that match to Aryna Sabalenka by 3-6,2-6. After that, Zheng managed to clinch a title at the Palermo Ladies Open but again she was stopped in the final of the Wuhan Open by Sabalenka. Then, her second title of the season came at the Japan Open where she defeated America’s Sofia Kenin by 7-6(5),6-3 in the final. Qinwen Zheng is entering this match after showcasing a dominating performance against Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in her previous match. Can she come up with yet another dominating performance in her next match?

Well, if we take a sneak peek at her opponent in the semis, Barbora Krejcikova’s biggest success in this season was winning the Wimbledon Championship. However, after that, she struggled a bit to make an impact in the rest of her tournaments. Although in Riyadh, it seems she has yet again found back her winning touch. Krejcikova was defeated by Swiatek in three sets in the first match, but in the next two, the Czech made a strong comeback. In fact, she defeated Gauff by 7-5,6-4 in her previous match. What will be the scoreline in the next?

Zheng vs Krejcikova: Head-to-Head

Qinwen Zheng has faced Barbora Krejcikova only once in her career as of now. Currently, the 22-year-old Chinese star leads the H2H scoreline by a 1-0 margin.

• 2023 Zhengzhou Final: Zheng 2-6,6-2,6-4.

Prediction: Zheng to win in three sets

Barbora Krejcikova has caused a few surprising results this season! However, Qinwen Zheng enters this epic contest as a slight favorite, but why? Well, apart from winning two titles this season, Zheng has been quite consistent in this season. Not only that, Qinwen Zheng (7) also has a better win-loss record than Barbora Krejcikova (13). Zheng currently has a win-loss index of 49-17, while Krejcikova has a index of just 21-15!

However, we can’t completely rule out the Czech in this match. Barbora Krejcikova is one of the most dangerous indoor hardcourt players on the Tour. Especially, her aggressive style along with powerful, flat groundstrokes and a flawless net game makes her incredibly tough to beat in quicker conditions. So, we’re expecting her to at least win a set against Qinwen Zheng.

Taking a closer look at their playing styles, Barbora Krejcikova also has a unique ability to inject sudden pace during the rallies. Her two-handed backhand shots can cause a few troubles for Zheng on this surface. She even has a strong forehand and drop shots in her armory. However, Krejcikova’s biggest concern at the moment is her high number of double fault counts. The 28-year-old Czech has hit 103 aces this season but has committed 144 double faults!

On the other hand, Qinwen Zheng is more of an aggressive baseliner. She possesses a powerful serve and an equally strong forehand. Apart from that Zheng also likes to hit the ball a bit early and she loves taking control of the match from the baseline. She can also generate heavy topspins from both wings. Talking about her serves, Qinwen Zheng, has hit 406 aces this season and committed 233 double faults. Interestingly in her previous match against Jasmine Paolini, she hit 12 aces but didn’t commit a double fault in the entire match. So, considering all these factors we’re keeping the Chinese star slightly ahead in this contest.