2019 US Open champ Bianca Andreescu must think the world is plotting against her. The former World No.4 suffered a terrible ankle break in 2023 and has really struggled to regain momentum.
2025 WTA Tour
WTA 1000
China Open
National Tennis Centre, Beijing, China (Outdoor Hardcourt)
Selected Round of 128 Matches- 24th September
Bianca Andreescu 0.7 vs Magda Linette 1.1
She was left frustrated in her most recent outing, forced to withdraw with an ankle strain in her home event in Montreal. It was even more annoying because she had eased past two-time Grand Slam champ Krejcikova in straight sets. The win over Krejcikova improved her humdrum 2025 main-draw record to 9/8. She has produced a few standout results this season, reaching the quarterfinals of the Libema Open and the 4th round in Rome. At full fitness, the Canadian is one of the most exciting shot-makers on the tour, blending raw power with Hingis-esque variety. But how is she going to hold up following her latest injury setback? Andreescu is yet to reach a final in Asia, reaching the quarterfinals when she last played here back in 2019.
Next up for Andreescu is another player trying to bounce back from an injury setback: Magda Linette. The 33-year-old Pole was forced to withdraw from her last outing in Guadalajara, suffering a knee issue after being bagled by Arango in the first set. She comes into this event on a three-match losing streak but has enjoyed a consistent overall campaign. The durable baseliner enjoyed some solid results in the early portion of the season, reaching quarterfinals in Abu Dhabi, Miami and Strasbourg. She enjoyed a season-best semifinal run in Nottingham and recently ousted Jessica Pegula in Cincinnati. That Pegula win was her 2nd top-10 win of the season (she took down Gauff in Miami). A former French Open semifinalist, Linette is a counterpuncher by nature, using slices and clever angles to manipulate her opponents. She has made a conscious attempt to up the aggression in recent outings, notably dictating proceedings against Pegula in Cincy.
The Verdict: Linette to win in three at 4- This will be their first career meeting. This is hard to judge, with both players coming into this tournament with lingering injury issues. I think this will be a tight affair, with both players probably fighting for confidence in the early stages. Linette should get better as the match progresses. Andreescu may catch her cold with some heavy hitting but Linette’s resilience and courtcraft should see her through in three.
Maria Sakkari 0.85 vs Ashlyn Krueger 0.92
Former World No.3 Maria Sakkari has endured a muted campaign, failing to reach a single semifinal all season. The 30-year-old Greek has struggled with mental resilience in recent seasons, failing to go beyond the 3rd round of a slam since the 2022 Aussie Open. A finalist at last year’s Indian Wells event, Sakkari was forced to miss the 2nd half of the season due to a shoulder injury. The shoulder issue forced her to completely reconfigure her game and she has battled to come to terms with the adjustments. She has only won three successive matches once this year (at the Madrid Open). She did show some signs of life in the recent North American hardcourt campaign, reaching the Washington quarters before a decent 3rd round run at Flushing Meadows. She was humiliated last time out in Guadalajara, going down 6-2, 6-0 to Frenchwoman Elsa Jacquemot. She will be looking for a strong end to the season as she aims to reenter the world’s top 50.
Big-serving American Ashlyn Krueger will be hoping to rediscover the form that propelled her into the top 30 for the first time earlier this season. The 21-year-old enjoyed a bright start to the campaign, reaching back-to-back quarterfinals in Brisbane and Adelaide. She then went on to reach the biggest final of her career in Abu Dhabi, going down to Belinda Bencic in the final. She elevated her performance in an elite Miami field, picking up her first top-ten win over Rybakina en route to a round of 16 finish. She has tapered off since then, going 2-4 since the end of the Wimbledon Championships. Krueger has played well on Asian hardcourts in the past, winning her lone WTA title at the 2023 Japan Women’s Open. She will look to play on the front-foot, using her big serve and aggressive style to placate the mercurial Greek.
The Verdict: Kruger to win in straight sets at 1.95- This will be their first career meeting. I think that Sakkari is going to struggle with Krueger’s direct, in-your-face approach (especially after that dispiriting defeat to Jacquemot in Guadalajara).
