Ah, the China Open will bring us a magnificent clasico! We have Nadia Podoroska at one corner of the ring, figuratively speaking, our unseeded contestant who definitely has a penchant for surprises. We all remember the flashes of brilliance against Yastremska and Ren, clearly she's not one to love first rounds. Is upset brewing here? I would say don't hold your breath, because, on the other side, there's Qinwen Zheng.
Ah, Zheng! The 5th seed, has been carving her way through the competition like a Ginsu knife through a ripe tomato. Her recent loss against Sabalenka? A mere hiccup in an otherwise pristine record. Let's not forget she has the pedigree of a winner, having already tasted victory over Podoroska back in '23.
And as we fondly remember, history has a funny way of repeating itself, doesn't it? Sure, the payout might be a wee bit less attention-grabbing, but sometimes, one should prefer the clarity of water over the ambiguity of the soup.
Albert's Prediction: Zheng in straight sets.