South Korea vs Uzbekistan Prediction, Betting Tips & Preview
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Day two of the China Open main draw in Beijing serves up a decent mix of quality and intrigue, with Sofia Kenin among those stepping out on court. Here are my calls for every match on the card.
Kenin has had a genuinely miserable 2026, posting a 6 and 18 tour level record that ranks as her worst since 2022. She stumbled at the first hurdle in Seoul and there is very little to suggest a turnaround is coming any time soon. Krueger at 11 and 13 is not exactly lighting the world on fire either, but she holds the form edge between the two right now and that matters.
This one feels like a proper toss up and I would not be shocked if it goes the distance. Krueger edges it for me on the basis that she has given herself more to work with this season.
Starodubtseva has quietly put together a solid year, sitting at 16 and 16 at tour level with a third round appearance at the US Open giving her real confidence to build on. At 24, Charaeva is still finding her feet at this level after a quarterfinalist showing in Sao Paulo hinted at what she might be capable of.
Starodubtseva is the more experienced grinder from the back of the court and I think she has enough in the tank to come through this one. Charaeva will push her but the Ukrainian should find a way.
Volynets has been playing some of the best tennis of her career lately, reaching the quarterfinals in Seoul and taking the title at a Philadelphia ITF event. She is knocking on the door of the best results she has ever produced at WTA level and the momentum behind her is real. That said, Montgomery came through qualifying without dropping a set, which is not something you can dismiss lightly.
Montgomery at 22 looks sharp and hungry and her form coming into this match is genuinely intimidating. I think she takes it without being pushed to a third.
Kasatkina will be looking for revenge after Badosa got the better of her at the Seoul Open, but the Spaniard arrives in Beijing on a brilliant run of form having reached the semifinals in Sao Paulo. She is playing with real confidence right now and looks like the most dangerous version of herself.
Kasatkina is on course for her lowest win total since 2020, which tells its own story about where her season has gone. Badosa is the clear favourite for me and I expect her to back that up on court.
Ito is playing under a protected ranking and has yet to win a tour match this year. Her unorthodox game can occasionally cause opponents problems but she is far from her best level and it is hard to make a case for her here. Birrell won the Seoul title and is having the finest season of her career, so the class difference is stark.
The only real question around Birrell is whether the fatigue from a winning week in Korea catches up with her. If she has recovered well enough, this should be comfortable. I expect her to get through it.
Kartal makes her return to tour action under a protected ranking as a player who has operated inside the top 50 before. Lazaro Garcia is a seasoned tour veteran but has never cracked the top 100 and comes through as a qualifier here. The Spaniard deserves respect for making it this far and her late career form is an interesting story.
On most days though, Kartal simply has a higher ceiling and I expect that to show. It might take three sets but she should come through.
Linette is sitting at 19 wins and 20 losses for the season, which tells you she is still very much making a living on the WTA Tour without quite touching the heights of her peak years. More concerning is that she has not won a match since June, and at some point that drought has to catch up with her against quality opposition.
Siniakova at 30 is at 14 and 16 this season, which is similarly modest, but she has not been mired in the same losing streak and her doubles pedigree means she is always comfortable under pressure. I give her the edge in what should be a close three setter.
Shao is a 17 year old local wild card stepping into largely unknown territory at WTA level. There will be plenty of support behind her in Beijing but tour matches are a different challenge entirely and we simply do not have enough on her to back her at this stage. Zakharova at 24 is fighting to hold onto her ranking and needs wins like this to stay relevant at tour level.
It may not be as straightforward as it looks on paper, but Zakharova has the experience and the motivation to see this through.
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South Korea vs Uzbekistan Prediction, Betting Tips & Preview
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