Anna Kalinskaya vs Anastasia Potapova preview

World No. 13 Anna Kalinskaya will square off against World No. 38 Anastasia Potapova in the first round of the Ningbo Open.

Kalinskaya has had a propitious season, amassing 36 wins in 54 matches, including runner-up finishes in the Dubai Tennis Championships and the German Open. She also reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, where she lost to Zheng Qinwen in three sets.

The 25-year-old will enter Ningbo on the back of a third-round exit in Beijing and a second-round exit in Wuhan. She started her campaign with a convincing win against Anna Bondar in the Wuhan Open, but couldn’t make her mark against Ekaterina Alexandrova. The Russian outfoxed her in the second round, 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-1.

Anastasia Potapova, meanwhile, has garnered 26 wins from 48 matches this year, including semifinal runs in the Eastbourne International and the Tennis in the Land event in Cleveland. She also reached the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open, where she lost to Marta Kostyuk in straight sets.

The Russian will enter Ningbo, on the back of early exits in Beijing and Wuhan. She started her campaign with a potent win against Katie Volynets in the Wuhan Open but was eliminated by Jessica Pegula in the second round. The American was handed the win mid-way through their match as Potapova was forced to retire due to injury.

Anna Kalinskaya vs Anastasia Potapova head-to-head

Kalinskaya leads the head-to-head against Potapova 1-0 (on the main tour). She defeated her in their last matchup in the 2019 Kremlin Cup in Moscow.

Anna Kalinskaya vs Anastasia Potapova odds

Odds will be updated when available.

Anna Kalinskaya vs Anastasia Potapova prediction

Kalinskaya chalked up a title-winning run in the ITF Midland 125 event last year and reached two finals on the main tour in 2024. She is constantly improving her game at the highest level and will be eager to find more consistency on tour. The Russian has a solid all-around game with clean ball-striking ability on the court.

Potapova, on the other hand, has yet to make a significant impact on the main tour. The 23-year-old has struggled to have a say against higher-ranked opponents and will need to strengthen her approach. She captured the Linz Open last year but hasn’t reached any finals on tour this time around.

Considering their record on hard courts and results this year, Kalinskaya will be a slight favorite to come out on top. The Russian has a 70% win ratio on hard courts this year and should be able to outsmart her opponent in the first round.