First Round Test

Ostapenko should progress, but Wang can cause her problems

I'm not as keen on blindly upgrading anyone who came through qualifying as many (not all qualifying paths are created equally), but I do think Xiyu Wang is a player to watch. She finally found some form during the American ITF summer swing and the tall lefty can play more aggressively, as well as with more spin. The problem? She's been dealt a very tough hand in Jelena Ostapenko.

We know the mercurial and explosive Latvian can pack it in early in matches when things aren't going her way (even in the bigger tournaments), but that generally occurs when she doesn't have a solution for opponents who are serving through her and matching her from the baseline or against those capable of punishing her second serve and prolonging points, waiting out the errors against her. I don't think Wang has the raw power to fit into the first category, nor does she have the speed and court coverage ability to wait out unforced errors from Ostapenko.

Looking back at the world No. 27's form, it's pretty clear that the vast majority of players that have beaten her have one of those traits to their games. The more middling, power-oriented players that can't outhit her own powerful game? She's managed to send packing.

With most bases covered and an opponent with the stylistic profile to trouble her too much, Ostapenko should be fine come Sunday.