Fresh off ending a three-match losing run at Indian Wells, two-time champion Victoria Azarenka faces out-of-sorts eighth seed Qinwen Zheng in Friday's BNP Paribas second-round match.
Zheng's 2025 dip has been exceedingly disappointing given how she ended last season, and she enters the third WTA 1000 event of the year keen to end her losing streak against the 21-time WTA champion.
Match preview
To say Zheng's season has been underwhelming is putting it mildly, with the world No. 9 and eighth seed at Indian Wells unable to string a winning run together entering the tournament.
Since getting the better of Anca Todoni at the Australian Open, the 22-year-old Olympic champion has lost her next three matches across as many events, falling to Laura Siegemund in the second round at Melbourne, losing to Ons Jabeur in Doha and failing to capitalise on taking the opening set before exiting to Peyton Stearns in Dubai.
Aiming to end her 0-3 record entering the Californian desert, the Chinese star must improve her average results at the BNP Paribas Open, where she has only ever won one match.
While this year's tournament will be the eighth seed's third involvement, Zheng's last success came on her tournament debut against Vera Zvonareva, whom she beat in straight sets in the opening round three years back.
Since that triumph, the five-time titlist has been defeated by retired Angelique Kerber in the 2022 second round and at the same stage against countrywoman Yuan Yue 12 months back.
It will be interesting to see how the 22-year-old responds to her early-season setbacks against Azarenka, especially after the return of coach Pere Riba following his November surgery.
Two of the 21-time WTA champion's titles have been in the desert, with the Belarusian claiming the crowns four years apart in 2012 and 2016 and advancing to the championship match four years back.
However, since that 2021 loss to Paula Badosa, Azarenka's best run was in 2022 when the two-time Grand Slam champion advanced to round three before losing to Elena Rybakina.
That defeat was followed by early exits at the hands of Karolina Muchova in 2023 and Caroline Dolehide 12 months ago; however, Azarenka has now snapped that losing run by defeating qualifier Clervie Ngounoue to set up a third meeting with Zheng.
Success in Wednesday's opening round was the veteran's third of the season and first triumph since an extraordinary comeback 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 victory against Anhelina Kalinina in Dubai despite being a set and 5-2 down in the second.
Although that success was followed by a meek loss at the hands of Swiatek, the former world No. 1 will hope to make the most of Zheng's below-par season and unbeaten run against the Chinese player to advance to a first round-three match at Indian Wells in three years.
Tournament so far
Qinwen Zheng:
First round: Bye
Victoria Azarenka:
First round: Clervie Ngounoue 6-4 7-6[7]
Head To Head
Miami (2024) - Third round: Azarenka 6-4 7-5
Adelaide (2023) - Round of 16: Azarenka 6-2 7-5
Azarenka, who is 3-4 this season, is 2-0 in previous match-ups with Zheng, against whom she has not dropped a set.
Previous meetings were on hard courts, and the 35-year-old bids for a third consecutive success over the world No. 9 on the surface.
The 21-time WTA champion heads into Friday's contest with a mixed record against top-10 opponents in the last year, claiming four wins and losing as many, though the experienced player has been beaten in consecutive match-ups against such players, losing to Aryna Sabalenka in Washington last year and to Swiatek in Dubai.
We say: Zheng to win in two sets
Although the precedent favours Azarenka, who is bidding for a third straight victory over Zheng, the Chinese player's miserable start to the season and losing record against the veteran will not continue in perpetuity.
After some time off to reflect on a disappointing 2025 and with Riba back in her corner, the eighth seed is backed to snap her 0-3 run entering Indian Wells at the Belarusian's expense.
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