Miami Open 2023: Samsonova vs Zheng Prediction, Odds & Pick

TennisSection previews the 2023 Miami Open third-round match featuring Liudmila Samsonova vs Qinwen Zheng on Saturday, March 25, 2023.

Liudmila Samsonova vs Qinwen Zheng Match Preview

For the third time in 2023, Liudmila Samsonova and Qinwen Zheng are pitted against each other in the draw. Will the third time be Zheng’s time at the Miami Open?

Liudmila Samsonova thrashed Swiss one-hander Viktorija Golubic in her second-round match, dropping just two games. Samsonova has played her best tennis in North America. Last season, she won two titles on US soil, forging the second-best winning streak of 2023 behind Iga Swiatek. Could the Russian go deep at the Miami Open?

Qinwen Zheng has recovered from her recent injury which forced her to pull out from Dubai before her scheduled match against Samsonova. The 20-year-old Chinese star won her second-round match against Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu in three sets, converting five of her eight break points and winning 76% first-serve points.

Liudmila Samsonova vs Qinwen Zheng Prediction and Pick

Liudmila Samsonova leads Qinwen Zheng 2-1 in their head-to-head. They didn’t get to play in Dubai last month, so Zheng will have the chance to even out the head-to-head record. But that is easier said than done against a power hitter like Samsonova who is a perennial hard-court threat at this early stage in her career. Their last two matches have each covered the games spread, and seems like a safe take from this match.