Prognosen für Ashlyn Krueger — Ann Li

Krueger’s straight-sets win over Kenin gave her a useful start on these courts: eight aces, most first-serve points won, and four breaks. It was short enough to leave little fatigue.

Li gets her first Beijing court time after a month away from matches. Krueger’s power should test a second serve that averaged around 122 km/h at the US Open; Li’s recent tie-breaks against Vekic, Noskova and Parry point to close sets rather than routine wins.

Krueger +1.5 games covers a win or a narrow Li victory, and 1.92 is enough for that cushion. I would not take Krueger outright at 2.151, while 22.5 games offers no clear lean.

The risk is Krueger’s uneven level: she lost to Boisson, Grabher and Anisimova, who pinned her behind the baseline. If Li finds that depth early, the match can get away from Krueger; the ankle that forced her Washington retirement has not been reported as a problem since.