The WTA 500 Tokyo Final pits rising star Zheng Qinwen against ever-resilient Sofia Kenin. The players have come into incredible form throughout the tournament, setting up an intriguing final that pitches Zheng's explosive power and local crowd support against Kenin's tactical finesse and experience. This final gives Zheng a chance to lock down her WTA top-10 ranking for the first time, while world No. 155 Kenin seeks to complete a remarkable week's work with a career-changing title.
This final will be their first encounter, so it means a fresh fight of styles. Never having played each other before, there is that added element of uncertainty, as both players will have to make game adjustments on the fly towards what their opponent does.
Claim Welcome BonusQinwen Zheng
WTA World No. 7 Zheng Qinwen has enjoyed a really robust season on tour so far, entering into the semifinals with an 8-2 mark in her last 10 matches. The semifinal win over Diana Shnaider showed her ability to play clutch, particularly in the tight opening set when she came through a tiebreak to gain control. All of which means Zheng enters the final with a three-match win streak, backed up by powerhouse serving and an aggressive baseline game that has simply overwhelmed many of her opponents this week.
Zheng has traditionally been viewed as a player with a dominant service game and an aggressive forehand, both of which will come in handy against Kenin. I would look for Zheng to dictate play from the baseline, trying to push Kenin deep in order to utilize her power. She will likely try to open up the court with wide serves and follow it with penetrating groundstrokes to keep Kenin on the defensive. Zheng needs to also temper her aggression and try not to hit unforced errors, especially at important junctures.
Sofia Kenin
The former Grand Slam champion Kenin seems to be playing some of the best tennis of her life, defying expectations with a 6-4 record in her last 10 matches. The semi-final win over Katie Boulter showed some of her shot variety and tactical adaptability as she took four sets in a row en route to this final. For sure, Kenin will be oozing confidence into this final after winning four matches in a row, and four consecutive sets are just about the best assurance of form and mental strength.
Finely tuned, Kenin's game relies on finesse and court awareness, using strategic shot selection. She will try to disrupt Zheng's rhythm with slices, drop shots, and angles that pull her opponent out of position. Kenin's success will be based on just how well she is able to absorb the power of Zheng and then switch to offense by constantly attacking Zheng's backhand and testing her patience. Kenin will continue changing her pace and spin to keep Zheng guessing and forcing errors.
Expert Betting Tips
Zheng goes into the final with plenty of momentum and crowd support-the psychological edge, her form more solid in recent times than Kenin's; the way she was able to close out tight sets, like against Shnaider, showed increasing maturity. With her potent serve and forehand, Zheng's game is suited to Tokyo conditions, and her aggressive approach could blow Kenin away.
The strong starts have been one of the running themes in Zheng's tournament so far. A high percentage of first serve and early aggression from her should continue to give Zheng an edge in the opening set, while Kenin will need some time to adjust to the power of Zheng. Zheng is likely to be strong right from the very first game, using her serve and forehand to make that statement.
With Kenin's solid defence and the fact that Zheng can be fragile when tightly pressured, this could be one of those game-count matches. Both players hold serve well, and Kenin's flexibility suggests she might be able to make inroads into Zheng's service games. A tight hard-fought match with at least one long set looks on the cards.
- Over 19.5 Games @ 1.905 Odds
- Over 20.5 Games @ 1.91 Odds
- Qinwen Zheng Wins 2-0 @ 1.61 Odds
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