Qinwen Zheng vs Anna Kalinskaya Odds, Prediction, Pick | Australian Open Quarterfinal Preview

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Zheng vs Kalinskaya Odds

The first night of the quarterfinals have wrapped up down under, with Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka both getting the job done, though in very different ways. It sets up a US Open final rematch in the bottom half of the draw, where Sabalenka will look to avenge a loss in a match she was absolutely dominating.

In the top half, we have four players all looking to achieve a new career-best result by reaching the final of a Grand Slam.

Let's look more into Qinwen Zheng vs Anna Kalinskaya in my Australian Open quarterfinal preview.

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Zheng Starting to Live Up to Potential

The hype around Zheng has been around for quite some time now, as she showcased elite power in her teens and a serve that could certainly take her to the top of the game. The problem was a stubborn insistence to try and simply hit her way through matches and her opponents, often tripping herself up along the way.

The last few months, however, have really seen her step up her game. This is her second consecutive quarterfinal at a Grand Slam, and since Jul, she's managed to win a pair of WTA titles and the gold medal at the Asian Games.

Her form this week hasn't been perfect, but she's managed to both find ways through difficult matches and dominate opponents in others.

How she deals with Kalinskaya's style of working the entire court and taking time away from opponents with flat hitting will be key. She'll need some of that newfound patience in this one or should could find herself trying to hit too many low-margin shots from ill-advised positions.

Kalinskaya Reaching New Heights in Melbourne

Earlier this week, I alluded to the fact that Kalinskaya was well-positioned to make her top-50 debut thanks to her draw, talent and form.

She's already set to make her top-40 debut and I wouldn't be surprised if she was able to pull off the upset against Zheng in this one either. She won't have the bigger serve or weapons from the baseline, but I do think she's the more tactically astute player, doesn't commit as many unforced errors and if she can redirect the Zheng pace without being overwhelmed by it, she can certainly generate the types of angles that can flip control of points.

Injuries have long held back the 25-year old from joining the world's best rankings-wise. With the top half of the draw being as open as it is, the next few days present an incredible opportunity for her to reach the upper echelons of the women's game.

Zheng vs Kalinskaya Pick

I do think the way Zheng is playing the last few months means she's the more likely player to move on. With her being assessed at about 65% in the betting markets though, I'm not sold there's much value in backing her.

Not to mention, the style Kalinskaya employs can certainly throw a wrench into her plans, especially if she gets impatient from the baseline and when having to hit her shots on the run.

I'll take the over here with a relatively small stake, with both players more than capable and playing with different styles.

Pick: Over 22.5 games (+100)