Aryna Sabalenka vs Yulia Putintseva Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Wuhan Open

Prediction published on 09/10/2024, 06:12  by Daniel Ngulu | Modified on 09/10/2024 at 06:16 in Tennis Predictions

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka will seek her first win against the unseeded Yulia Putintseva when they duel at the Wuhan Open. The two are scheduled to battle in the third round on Thursday and we have a prediction for this match.

Sabalenka got back to winning ways in her tournament opener and will be eager to embark on another winning streak. The world number two began her campaign in Wuhan with a 2-0 success over Katerina Siniakova.

Before arriving here, the in-form Belarussian’s 15-match winning streak was halted in the quarter-finals in Beijing. In that dominant stretch, she added to her accolades this year with two more titles.

This year’s Australian and US Open champion has won three titles and finished as runner-up three times. Sabalenka has recorded 50 wins in 2024 which is the second successive year she has amassed as many wins.

Yulia Putintseva defeated Sabalenka in their first and only encounter. Though that was five years ago, she will be confident of doubling her advantage.

The Kazakh, who had lost three matches in a row before arriving in Wuhan, is on a two-match winning run. She defeated 15th seed Donna Vekic in three sets to advance to this round.

Despite her recent struggles, Putintseva has had a strong year. She has compiled a 37-20 record and ended a three-year wait for a tour title with success in Birmingham.

With 20 of her wins now being on hard courts, Putintseva has moved up three places to 32nd in the live ranking. A quarter-final tie against Magda Frech, Beatriz Haddad Maia, or Veronika Kudermetova awaits the winner.