Aryna Sabalenka vs Qinwen Zheng Tips, Prediction & Live Stream - Sabalenka backed for seventh straight win over Zheng

Sabalenka has been on fire for the bulk of the season and comes into this clash on a 15-match winning streak at WTA 1000 level, winning the last two titles in Miami and Madrid. Now, Sabalenka is chasing a third consecutive 1000 title and a first piece of silverware in Rome - and she's received a very favourable draw in the quarter-finals if recent meetings are anything to go by.

To be fair, this will be the first clash between Sabalenka and Zheng on clay, but it's tough to ignore the top seed's dominance in this matchup. Indeed, Sabalenka has won all six previous meetings between the pair - and five have come in straight sets, including a 6-2 7-5 win in Miami a couple of months ago. Zheng is a formidable competitor on clay, but have to back Sabalenka until the Chinese player shows something different in this matchup.

As mentioned, Sabalenka leads 6-0, winning five of those in straight sets - including the 2024 Australian Open final, last year's WTA finals match and recently in Miami.

Sabalenka has firmly established herself as the runaway World No. 1, coming into this contest with a 34-5 record on the season.

Despite falling just short of securing a third Australian Open title, it's been another phenomenal year to date for Sabalenka, who has made the final in six of her eight events.

If Sabalenka reaches a seventh final in Rome, she will join the likes of Chris Evert (1986), Steffi Graf (1989 and 1994) and Monica Seles (1991) as the only players to make seven or more WTA finals before the French Open in the last 40 years.

Sabalenka is coming off a dominant run to the title in Madrid, dropping just one set, while she's continued her winning ways in Rome, toppling Anastasia Potapova, Sofia Kenin and Marta Kostyuk, coming back from 3-5 down and saving two match points in the second set to prevail 6-1 7-6.

Zheng comes into this clash with a 12-7 record for the season, but is beginning to pick up pace after a slow start due to injury.

The 22-year-old won just one match across the opening two months of the season, but has since tasted victory on 11 occasions after overcoming injury issues.

Zheng has advanced to the quarter-finals at Indian Wells, Miami and Charleston and has returned to that stage in Rome.

In fact, Zheng has reached the quarter-finals in all three of her previous appearances in Rome - but she's never gone beyond this stage. The Chinese star has defeated Olga Danilovic, Magdalena Frech and Bianca Andreescu to reach the last eight.