Aryna Sabalenka vs Qinwen Zheng Tips, Prediction & Live Stream - Sabalenka backed to reach first Miami semi-final

Currently 0-2 in Miami quarter-finals, I'm backing Sabalenka to break new ground in the 305 and continue her utterly dominant H2H record over Zheng, which currently stands at 5-0. Coincidentally, Sabalenka improved to 7-0 over Danielle Collins in their fourth round contest, further illustrating her dominance in favourable matchups.

It's been a tough last couple of months for Sabalenka following her heartbreaking Australian Open final defeat, but she's advanced into the last eight in Miami without dropping a set and this now looms as a good opportunity for the top seed to return to the champions corner. Zheng meanwhile has also recently got going again after a difficult start to the year and has now made back-to-back quarter-finals after doing so in Indian Wells. However, this has been a bad matchup for her over the last couple of years and she'll need to be at the peak of her powers in order to cause the upset. I don't see it happening - backing Sabalenka in for another straight sets victory.

As mentioned, Sabalenka has dominated this matchup, winning all five previous meetings - with four of them coming in straight sets, where she's dropped just 20 games combined.

Sabalenka comes into this clash with a 20-4 record on the season, but still going in search of her first title.

The World No. 1 narrowly missed out on a three-peat of Australian Open titles after falling in three sets to Madison Keys in the final - and she struggled in the aftermath, losing to Ekaterina Alexandrova in her Doha opener before going down to Clara Tauson in Dubai.

Sabalenka was upstaged by teen sensation Mirra Andreeva in the Indian Wells final last week, but it was an improved tournament and the top seed is now looking to break new ground in Miami.

The 26-year-old has defeated Viktoriya Tomova, Elena-Gabriela Ruse and defending champion Danielle Collins without dropping a set, blasting 23 winners to just 12 unforced errors in the latter to emerge a 6-4 6-4 winner.

Zheng has compiled a 7-4 record on the season, which was disrupted in the early stages due to an elbow injury that contributed to a second round exit at the Australian Open, where she finished runner-up in 2024.

The Olympic gold medalist also lost her opening matches in the Middle East swing in Doha and Dubai, but she bounced back with a solid showing at Indian Wells.

Indeed, Zheng registered wins over the likes of Victoria Azarenka and Marta Kostyuk to reach the quarter-finals before going down to Iga Swiatek.

The World No. 9 also hasn't dropped a set on her way to the Miami quarter-finals, beating a trio of Americans in Lauren Davis, Taylor Townsend and Ashlyn Krueger.