Donna Vekic and Xinyu Wang meet in the first round of WTA Singapore on September 22 at 06:00 UTC. Their rankings are close, but the more useful distinction appears after the opening set.
Vekic starts quickly; Wang stays with the problem
Vekic has won the first set in each of her last five matches, yet converted only one into victory. The latest example was a 7-5, 6-7, 4-6 loss to 29th-ranked Ann Li, with service security and movement again declining as the match lengthened.
Wang has been steadier on hard courts without being flawless. She beat Emiliana Arango 6-4, 6-2 at the US Open, then took a set from 22nd-ranked Anna Kalinskaya; more importantly here, she recovered from a set and a break down to beat Vekic in Cincinnati.
The first reversal should tell the story
Vekic's serve and flat forehand can still control the early exchanges, especially in predictable arena conditions. Wang's task is less dramatic: return the second serve with depth, make Vekic strike one extra ball and keep stepping forward after the occasional miss.
Their career series stands at 2-1 to Vekic, but the freshest meeting carries more weight than the older arithmetic. At a price close to an even split, Wang is the sounder choice to retain her level if the match reaches a deciding set—and recent Vekic matches have had a habit of getting there.
Prediction: Xinyu Wang to win, odds 1.875
