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Qinwen Zheng vs Anna Bondar Tips, Prediction & Live Stream - Zheng to make it 4-0 in Rome openers

andrew-hendrie
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Last updated: Tue 05 May 2026 00:50

Qinwen Zheng faces Anna Bondar in the first round of the 2026 Italian Open, aiming to regain her momentum after a string of injury setbacks. Despite dropping out of the top 32, Zheng boasts an impressive record in Rome and leads their head-to-head 2-0. Bondar, in solid clay-court form, remains a dangerous opponent but with a poor record against top players. The key recommendation is that Zheng’s experience and past success in Rome make her the favorite, with a third straight win over Bondar expected.

Andrew Hendrie 05 May 2026
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  • Qinwen Zheng vs Anna Bondar predictions for Tuesday's WTA Rome R1 match
  • Zheng has made at least the quarter-finals in all three previous Rome appearances
  • Bondar struggles vs elite opposition, going 5-22 vs the top 35
  • The match is scheduled to start around 8.00pm AEST on Tuesday May 5
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Qinwen Zheng
Qinwen Zheng (Photo by Getty Images)


Qinwen Zheng vs Anna Bondar Tips, Prediction & Live Stream


Qinwen Zheng looks to get her season up and running at one of her favourite tournaments as the former top five player comes up against Anna Bondar in the first round of the Italian Open in Rome on Tuesday.

Having tumbled out of the top 32 following a long battle with injuries, Zheng doesn't have the luxury of enjoying a bye in the first round. But, that might not be a bad thing - Zheng needs the match practice under her belt before Roland Garros and she has a great opportunity to generate some momentum in Rome, where she has never failed to reach at least the quarter-finals.

More often than not, it's taken the best players in the world to beat Zheng since she returned to action earlier this year and while Bondar is enjoying a very solid clay swing so far, I don't think the Hungarian has the firepower to cause the upset here.

Zheng has won both previous meetings and looks in good enough form at the moment - combine that with her superb record in Rome and I expect the Chinese start to cover here.
  • Zheng has won 10 of her 13 matches in Rome (two defeats vs Gauff)
  • Zheng has made at least the quarter-finals in three previous visits to Rome
  • Three of Zheng's four defeats in 2026 have been vs either Sabalenka or Rybakina
  • Bondar has a 5-22 record vs top 35 players
  • Zheng has won both previous meetings in straight sets

Zheng vs Bondar Head To Head

Zheng leads 2-0 - this will be their first encounter since Rome 2023.

YearTournamentSurfaceRoundWinnerScore
2023RomeClayRound of 32Qinwen Zheng7–6(2), 6–4
2021HamburgHardQuarterfinalsQinwen Zheng6–2, 6–1

Qinwen Zheng Form Analysis

  • 2026 Record: 5-4
  • WTA Rome Record: 10-3
  • Current Ranking: No. 32
  • Career-High Ranking: No. 4 (June 2025)

Zheng is in the midst of trying to rebuild her ranking after playing just one tournament in the back half of 2025 and being restricted to just four events so far in 2026.

The former World No. 4 and Australian Open finalist will probably take a further tumble down the rankings with an abundance of points set to drop off following Rome and Roland Garros, where she made the semis and quarters respectively last year.

Despite limited match play, Zheng has looked good in patches this season - it's taken Sabalenka or Rybakina to defeat her in three of her four tournaments, including in Madrid last week.

Zheng defeated Sofia Kenin in her opening round, but couldn't hold on against the World No. 2, going down 4-6 6-4 6-3 after taking the first set.

Anna Bondar Form Analysis

  • 2026 Record: 12-10
  • WTA Rome Record: 2-2
  • Current Ranking: No. 56
  • Career-High Ranking: No. 50 (2022)

Bondar is edging closer to the top 50 and career-high ranking, four years after first reaching that mark.

The Hungarian didn't have a great start to the season on hardcourt - indeed, she failed to win back-to-back matches in five tournaments following a quarter-final run in Hobart in January.

However, a switch to clay as sparked a return to top form - Bondar made the R16 on the green clay of Charleston before a quarter-final showing in Rouen.

Bondar then made a nice run to the R16 in Madrid last week, taking out Elina Svitolina before pushing eventual finalist Mirra Andreeva all the way in a 6-7(5) 6-3 7-6(5) defeat.

Zheng vs Bondar Live Stream

Watch and bet on Qinwen Zheng vs Anna Bondar live tennis from Rome.

You can watch and bet on the match live at Unibet > Tennis > WTA Rome with the action available to stream on desktop and mobile.

Geo-restrictions apply, you'll need a funded account or to have placed a bet in the last 24 hours to gain access. 18+ terms and conditions apply.

Verdict

Zheng is tipped to make it three straight wins over Bondar and improve her flawless record in Rome first rounds.

Best Bet1: Zheng -3.5 Games Line $1.85 at dabble - 2 Units
Zheng -3.5
Games Line
$1.85 - 2 Units
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Qinwen Zheng v Anna Bondar

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