The first Grand Slam of 2023 is done, but this week the WTA Tour is hosting three tournaments and the ATP Tour is taking a break before the Davis Cup ties.
Most top players on the WTA Tour are taking a break to recover after a busy January in Australia. The next big events are in February and March before the clay court season leading to the French Open. However, players competing this week aim to earn valuable Ranking points.
At the Australian Open, there were some unexpected results, one of which is playing in the First Round in Hua Hin on Monday. Lin Zhu, who reached the Fourth Round at the Open and beat Maria Sakkari and pushed Victoria Azarenka to three sets, will reach a new career high World Ranking on Monday.
Lin Zhu’s strong performance at the Australian Open will likely provide her with a confidence boost heading into her first round match in Hua Hin, Thailand. Over the past year, she has had some good hard court results, but mostly at a lower level than the WTA Tour. With a new career-high world ranking, the 29-year-old could potentially cause another upset in this tournament.
Despite her youth and better recent form, Xiyu Wang is seen as the underdog in this match, as Lin Zhu’s impressive performance at the Australian Open has boosted her confidence and established her as the more dangerous player on the court.
Lin Zhu’s strong performance at the Australian Open, and the confidence boost that comes with it, may give her an advantage over Xiyu Wang in this first-round match in Hua Hin. However, Xiyu Wang is younger and has had slightly better hard court results over the past year, though the recent injury is a concern. Both players have had inconsistent results against top 100 opponents, so confidence and mental strength could play a big role in determining the outcome of this match.
We predict Lin Zhu will beat Xiyu Wang in their First Round match due to her confidence boost from reaching the Fourth Round at the Australian Open and her superior return of serve and second serve management. These small factors could make a big impact in a close match.
Match Winner Prediction
Lin Zhu to win.
Score Prediction
Lin Zhu 2-0 Xiyu Wang
