Shuai Zhang vs Aryna Sabalenka 8/19/22 Cincinnati Tennis Picks, Predictions, Odds

Aryna Sabalenka and Shuai Zhang meet in the quarterfinal of the 2022 tennis Western & Southern Open.

Aryna Sabalenka is coming off a 3 sets win over Shelby Rogers that took 33 games to decide. In the victory, Sabalenka won 73 percent of her first serve points and 45 percent of her second serve points. Sabalenka won 62 percent of her total service points and converted on 5 of her 9 break points. Sabalenka got 59 percent of her first serves in play and hit 10 aces. Sabalenka has now split her last 8 matches that have gone the distance. Sabalenka looks to make her eighth career WTA 1000 semifinal appearance. Sabalenka is 7-4 in career WTA 1000 quarterfinal matches. Sabalenka has split her last 10 matches on hard court.

Shuai Zhang is coming off a 3 sets win over Anett Kontaveit that took 28 games to decide. In the victory, Zhang won 58 percent of her first serve points and 44 percent of her second serve points. Zhang won 54 percent of her total service points and converted on 5 of her 9 break points. Zhang got 71 percent of her first serves in play and hit 3 aces. Zhang has won each of her last 4 matches that have gone the distance. Zhang looks to make her first ever WTA 1000 semifinal, as she’s 0-3 in previous quarterfinal matches. Zhang has won 6 of her last 9 matches on hard court.

Sabalenka has won 3 of the 4 meetings against Zhang, including the most recent match, this year in Rome. Zhang’s only win over Sabalenka was 2016 Tokyo. All 4 meetings were decided in straight sets.

Zhang has the ability to rise to the occasion here, but she has a history of fizzling out around this point in a tournament. We also can’t ignore Sabalenka has won each of the last 6 sets against Zhang, and that includes a straight setter this year. It’s hard to bet against Sabalenka in this spot.

I like Sabalenka to make the semifinals of Cincinnati for the second time.