Alrighty then, let's turn our attention to this particularly electrifying duel. The China Open Round of 64, where we have Anastasia Potapova, the young Russian thunderclap, squaring off against Greet Minnen, an unseeded Belgian who seems to keep the orthodontists busy with her grit.
The numbers seem to favor Potapova. When we glance over her recent results there's a bit of a pendulum motion, a win followed by a loss and so forth, but there's something to be said for her victory over Fernandez, a match where she had to grind it out in three sets. She's no stranger to the long game. And let's not sweep under the rug her 28th seeding, quite a feat that no one wears a tiara just for showing up.
On the other side of the court, Minnen holds her own. While she sent Andreeva and Falei home with tear-stained towels, there's no denying the stinging loss to Sönmez and Vekić. Being unseeded is a bit like showing up to a party without an invitation, you're there, but are you truly meant to be?
Given all this, if you're a betting typely person, it might be prudent to side with Potapova. Yes, Minnen could throw in an upset, but the same way I could fit into my high school jeans, that is to say, unlikely, but not downright impossible.
Albert’s Prediction: Potapova in 3 sets.