Zeynep Sonmez Faces Sayaka Ishii in Second Round of WTA Tokyo: Preview and Predictions

Zeynep Sonmez, the Turkish tennis player ranked 148th in the world, is set to face Japan’s Sayaka Ishii in the second round of the WTA Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on October 23, 2024. This match marks the first encounter between the two players in their professional careers.

Sonmez has had a notable run in the tournament so far, having defeated Kanon Yamaguchi, Sara Saito, and Magdalena Frech to reach the second round. Her most recent victory was a comeback win against Frech, where she recovered from a 1-set deficit to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-3. During this match, Sonmez demonstrated her focus and aggression, scoring 83 points and hitting 40 winners despite losing the serve three times.

Sayaka Ishii, on the other hand, has also shown promising form, particularly in her home country. She has lost only one set in her three matches so far in the tournament, including a win over Clara Tauson. Ishii’s performance is marked by a strong overall game, although her serve has been somewhat inconsistent with 5 breaks and 14 double faults in the tournament.

Predictions for the match are closely divided, with some analysts favoring Sonmez due to her recent form and solid record on hard surfaces. Sonmez has a 14-8 record on hard courts in 2024 and a 64-36 win-loss record on hard surfaces over the last eight years. However, others suggest that the match could be highly competitive and unpredictable, given the similar win/loss statistics of both players this season.

The match is scheduled to start at 2:00 PM local time on the Show Court, and fans can follow the live streaming through various platforms, although it is not available in the USA.