WTA Beijing Day 2 Predictions Including Qinwen Zheng vs Han Shi

Beijing’s WTA 1000 has a 96-player draw, so the top 32 seeds sit out the first round while everyone else fights for a place in round two. Thursday’s card has a home favourite under pressure and two matches that look closer than the rankings suggest.

Qinwen Zheng vs Han Shi

It’s been a long road back for Zheng. She had elbow surgery in July 2025, retired from this very tournament a year ago and missed the Australian Open. A first-round loss at Roland Garros dropped her outside the top 100. Then the US Open reminded everyone what she can do: from qualifying to the quarterfinals, with wins over Madison Keys and Iga Świątek along the way. She’s back up to No. 54 but still needed a wildcard here.

A few things to watch. She came to Beijing straight from Billie Jean King Cup Finals duty in Shenzhen with no break, she has mentioned an on-and-off cough, and she has been candid that she isn’t yet back to the level she expects of herself.

Shi, ranked No. 231, came through qualifying, including a three-set win over third seed Kalieva. They’ve never met, and the winner plays 15th seed Anna Kalinskaya.

Zheng is the pick. The market prices this like a formality, and we don’t quite see it that way.

Prediction: Zheng to win.

Yulia Starodubtseva vs Alina Charaeva

Starodubtseva, ranked No. 45, made the third round of the US Open, beating 32nd seed Maria Sakkari before a close loss to Elena Rybakina. She then withdrew from Seoul without giving a reason.

Charaeva, No. 118, has been playing. In Seoul she beat Sofia Kenin in three sets and then held a match point against sixth seed Anna Bondar before going out. It’s a first meeting, and the winner gets top seed Rybakina.

The rankings say Starodubtseva. Our model says this is close to a coin flip, leaning the other way.

Prediction: Charaeva to win.

Sofia Kenin vs Ashlyn Krueger

Their head-to-head is level at 2-2, with Kenin winning the most recent meeting in Madrid this year. Kenin, now No. 107, ran into Jessica Pegula at the US Open and went out in the first round in Seoul to Charaeva.

Krueger, No. 73, has had a quieter run in singles: a first-round US Open loss to Amanda Anisimova, then a withdrawal from Seoul. She did reach the US Open doubles final with Robin Montgomery. The winner here meets 21st seed Ann Li.

Rust is the worry with Krueger, but she’s still our pick.

Prediction: Krueger to win.