Qinwen Zheng vs Simona Halep 5/26/22 French Open Tennis Picks, Predictions, Odds

Simona Halep and Qinwen Zheng meet in the second round of the 2022 tennis French Open.

Simona Halep is coming off a three sets win over Nastasja Mariana Schunk that took 24 games to decide. In the victory, Halep won 70 percent of her first serve points and 43 percent of her second serve points. Halep won 59 percent of her total service points and converted on five of her 10 break points. Halep lost focus in the second set, but she bounced back in the third set that ended in just seven games. Halep has now won six of her last eight matches that have gone the distance. Halep hasn’t lost before the third round of a grand slam since the 2019 US Open. Halep hasn’t lost before the third round of the French Open since 2015. Halep has won five of her last seven matches on clay court.

Qinwen Zheng is coming off a straight set win over Maryna Zanevska that took 16 games to decide. In the victory, Zheng won 95 percent of her first serve points and 52 percent of her second serve points. Zheng won 73 percent of her total service points and converted on four of her seven break points. Zheng was flawless with her first serve, but she got just 49 percent of her first serves in play, something she has to improve. At 19 years old and little big match experience, this match will be a great learning tool for the Chinese teenager. Zheng looks to make the third round of a grand slam for the first time in her career. Zheng is now 2-0 in career opening matches in grand slam play. Zheng has won five of her last eight matches on clay court.

These two played once which was back in January, a match in Melbourne, a meeting Halep won in straight sets. The match was decided in 17 games.

Zheng has a punchers chance in this match if she serves anywhere close to what she did in her last match. However, I’m always hesitant to back players who don’t have a lot of big match experience in spots like this. Nerves are usually an issue and Halep has accomplished everything, and that’s huge under the bright lights of a grand slam. You’re asking a lot of Zheng to hang in this contest.

Give me Halep, and I’ll side with her in straight sets to shave down the price.