Elena Rybakina vs Alina Charaeva Preview & Tips - Rybakina to make light work of Charaeva at the Beijing Open

Alina Charaeva came out on top in a pulsating 5-7 7-5 6-2 win over Yuliia Starodubtseva in the first round of the Beijing Open. 

Her 6-4 5-7 6-2 win over Aryna Sabalenka put her ability to beat the best on full show as she stormed to her third Grand Slam crown. Seven consecutive wins at the US Open helped to swell an already impressive hard court record, with Rybakina now boasting 36 wins in 43 matches on hard courts. 

While her opponent will arrive with little pressure on her as the underdog, Rybakina will likely be far too strong for her. Rybakina made a habit out of winning in straight sets in the opening rounds at the US Open, and I back her to cruise to a simple win in this one. 

In the first round, Charaeva was able to hit back after losing the first set in a clash in which there were seven breaks of serve in the opener. The second set followed a similar pattern as neither could hold their own serve until Charaeva went 4-3 up. Taking the second and third sets 7-5 6-2, Charaeva was able to eventually win the match in a clash in which neither was able to consistently perform on serve. 

Facing Rybakina, Charaeva will struggle, especially if she cannot hold her own serve. Her opponent will put her under all kinds of pressure, and I predict that this will see Charaeva knocked out in comfortable fashion.