WTA Beijing Open Wednesday Preview

Maria Kirilenko vs. Tamira Paszek

Maria Kirilenko and Tamira Paszek will face off on Wednesday in round three of the China Open.

Maria Kirilenko managed to beat Samantha Stosur yesterday for the second time in two weeks yesterday, and she could prove to be a genuine contender for this week’s title. The Russian was perhaps a little fortunate to leave the court with a 7-5, 1-6, 7-5 victory, though she should be feeling confident following her recent run of results.

Kirilenko will now need to defeat Tamira Paszek on Wednesday if she wants to get through to the quarter-finals. Paszek made a poor start against Petra Cetkovska in round two, but the momentum of the match shifted in the second set, and the Czech was able to clinch a 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 success.

Kirilenko has performed well here in Beijing, but she’ll need to be well prepared to face Paszek. The Austrian won both of the previous contests between the pairing, and she seems to have a knack for getting the upper hand against Kirilenko. This should be an intriguing matchup.

Flavia Pennetta vs. Dominika Cibulkova

Flavia Pennetta will face the challenge of Dominika Cibulkova on Wednesday in round three of the China Open.

Flavia Pennetta was in top form on Tuesday, brushing aside the challenge of Daniela Hantuchova in straight sets. Hantuchova is a very capable player, but she couldn’t find a way into the match, and was eventually beaten 6-2, 6-1. Pennetta didn’t once drop a service game, and this guided her to a straightforward victory.

Pennetta will continue her charge here on Wednesday with a third round matchup against Dominika Cibulkova. Cibulkova also won convincingly in round two. She was dominant on serve against seventh seed Francesca Schiavone, and didn’t allow the Italian to assert much influence on the tie.

Pennetta is ranked below Cibulkova, but she has a 3-1 head to head record against her. Pennetta won convincingly in both of the last two contests between the pairing, and it looks like Cibulkova will struggle unless she approaches this match with a different gameplan. Cibulkova could be in for a hard time here, but she shouldn’t be ruled out.

Caroline Wozniacki vs. Kaia Kanepi

Caroline Wozniacki will have a rematch with Kaia Kanepi on Wednesday in round three of the China Open.

Caroline Wozniacki secured a convincing victory over Jarmila Gajdosova on Tuesday at the China Open, booking a place in round three with a 6-2, 6-3 win. The Dane dominated against Gajdosova, and could be on track to make a successful defence of her title here in Beijing.

Wozniacki’s campaign will continue on Wednesday with a tough third round clash against Kaia Kanepi. Following the withdrawal of Sabine Lisicki, Kanepi was gifted the chance to compete for a place in the last eight. After beating Wozniacki last week at the Toray Pan Pacific Open, Kanepi might just fancy her chances.

Wozniacki has a 2-1 head to head record against Kanepi overall. All of the matches between the pairing have gone into three sets, and it would be no surprise to see Wednesday’s contest go the distance also. Kanepi has the ability to trouble the world No. 1, and it will be fascinating to see if she can get the better of her once again.

Marion Bartoli vs. Andrea Petkovic

Marion Bartoli will face Andrea Petkovic on Wednesday for the right to take part in the quarter-finals of the China Open.

Marion Bartoli avenged her U.S Open defeat against Christina McHale on Tuesday by beating the American 6-2, 6-1 in just under an hour and twenty minutes. Bartoli will be pleased with how she played throughout the match. Her all-round game was consistent, and she made light work of returning McHale’s serve.

Bartoli will continue on Wednesday with a tricky third round clash against world No. 11 Andrea Petkovic. Petkovic emerged from a close fought two setter against Carla Suarez Navarro (6-4, 6-4) in round two to earn her berth in the third round. Petkovic has now won more than fifty matches this season, and she’s well placed to mount a title challenge of her own this week.

Bartoli has a 2-2 head to head record against Petkovic, though she trails the German 1-2 this season. All three of this season’s matchups between the pairing were over in straight sets, and it looks like early momentum could be a key factor in this upcoming contest.

Vera Zvonareva vs. Ana Ivanovic

Vera Zvonareva will take on Ana Ivanovic on Wednesday for a place in the quarter-finals of the China Open.

Vera Zvonareva remains on course to make a title challenge at this year’s China Open, after clinching a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 victory over Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic. The Russian deserved her success, but she could have been in trouble had she not saved eight of twelve break points.

Next up for Zvonareva will be sixteenth seed Ana Ivanovic. Ivanovic was clinical against Svetlana Kuznetsova in round two, breaking at every opportunity on her way to a 6-2, 6-3 win. Ivanovic was only on court for seventy minutes, and she should be feeling ready to take on Zvonareva on Wednesday.

That said, Ivanovic will need to overturn a three-match losing streak against the third seed in order to reach the quarters. Zvonareva may have only won her most recent match against the Serb 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 (Carlsbad, 2011), but she might just have the edge having gotten the better of Ivanovic over the last few years.