World number 16 Elise Mertens will look to continue with her good form when she faces Shuai Zhang in the first round of the 2021 Madrid Open on Friday, April 30. Get the live streaming options of this Elise Mertens v Shuai Zhang match along with its preview, head to head, and tips here.
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Elise Mertens v Shuai Zhang Head to Head
There have been two previous meetings between Mertens and Zhang before this and both have won one apiece. The first of those matches came at the 2018 Montreal Open which Mertens won in straight sets before Zhang made it 1-1 in Beijing that very year.
At New Haven in 2017, there was expected to be another meeting which ended with Zhang withdrawing from it to give Mertens a walko
Also Read:
Mertens Turns Things Around in Istanbul
Much like was the case last season following the pandemic break, Mertens hadn’t had the best of starts on clay this season but managed to get things moving in the very next competition she played.
Starting out at the Charleston Open, Mertens lost her opener to Alize Cornet (she was 3/1 to win that), but followed it up with a solid showing in Istanbul. The Dutchwoman made it all the way to the final which included a win over Veronika Kudermetova before falling to Sorana Cirstea.
Earlier this season, Mertens had also added a sixth career title when she won the Gippsland Trophy with wins over Caroline Garcia and Elina Svitolina and then excelled in Dubai where she made the semifinal.
Having also made the final in Prague last year and won two of her WTA titles on clay, Mertens will be a tough cookie in a tournament like this.
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Zhang Waiting to Win First Set
Yep, that’s how badly things have gone pear-shaped for Zhang, who has now played six successive matches since late last year and not won a single set in that period.
Two of these defeats came late last year, and the Chinese, world number 44 has now begun this season with four successive losses in first rounds of tournaments. Such poor has been Zhang’s performance, she has won more than three games in a set on just one occasion this year.
Clay has traditionally been an added struggle for Zhang but she did make it as far as the quarterfinal at Strasbourg and fourth round of the French Open last year.
This season, however, she has played twice on clay and won a total of eight games. And now she plays an in-form Mertens in her opener.
Mertens v Zhang Prediction and Tip
Expect a fifth, straight, straight-set defeat for Zhang, and it looks unlikely that even a games handicap of +6.5 will save her.
Tip: Games Handicap Mertens -6.5: 5/6 (bet365)
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The 2021 Madrid Open will be played from April 27-May 9. You can watch & bet on these matches here. Get your latest premium tennis predictions here.
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