The European clay swing for the WTA has commenced as the Stuttgart Open has arrived. Sorana Cirstea will play against Qinwen Zheng as both battle to be the triumphant star. The 2024 season has not been kind to either of the two as they continue to struggle to find a steady stream of wins and are looking to turn it around on the dirt.

Cirstea managed to gain some momentum in the Dubai Tennis Championships but could not continue performing at a high level. Similarly, Zheng ran to the final of the Australian Open but couldn’t recreate the high-quality tennis in the following tournaments.  

Sorana Cirstea vs Qinwen Zheng: Preview

Cirstea lost in her opening round of the Indian Wells Masters and then attained two wins in the Miami Open before losing to eventual champion Danielle Collins. In Miami, she managed to hit 6 aces and won 65% of her first serves. Out of the 19 break points that came her way, she won 10. She also showed good control under pressure, as she only gave 6 out of the 14 break points against her. The statistics don’t favor her serve, but shows she can keep a calm mind, which will help on clay.

Zheng found herself out of the round of 64 of the Indian Wells and then the third round of the Miami Open. She received a walkover from Kateřina Siniaková as the match led into the third set and lost to Victoria Azarenka in the following clash. Zheng hit 11 aces in total and won 71% of points on her first serve against Azarenka. In total, she took 6 of 13 break points and gave away 7 out of 14, which shows an average performance under pressure but good control on her first serve.  

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Cirstea vs Zheng: Head-to-Head

Sorana Cirstea and Qinwen Zheng have never played against each other on the WTA Tour. This will be the first-ever for the sport and could be the beginning of a great rivalry. The two have better results on hard courts, where the game is much more aggressive. Here, they will have to employ patience and persistence if they want to gain the upper hand. 

Prediction: Zheng to win her first clay match in 2024

Based on recent performances, it is difficult to set the two players apart. However, the scales tip in favor of Zheng, who has shown that she can control her game on the dirt much better than the 34-year-old Romanian player. The Chinese player is also more athletic at the moment, which will come in handy against the player who is out of her prime.

Zheng also has a much better serve, which can become a significant weapon against Cirstea, who will have to develop returns like Novak Djokovic if she wants a chance to win.