Ajla Tomljanović vs Yuliia Starodubtseva – WTA match Prediction

2025-09-25 06:00

WTA

odds 1.66

On September 25, 2025, tennis fans will shift their focus to Beijing, China, where the WTA Women’s Singles 1/64-final at the China Open will feature a fascinating encounter between Australia’s Ajla Tomljanović and Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva. The match is scheduled for 06:00 Central European Time (CEST) on the outdoor hard courts of this prestigious WTA 1000 tournament. Tomljanović, ranked inside the top 40, brings with her years of tour-level experience and recent success on hard courts, making her one of the more consistent performers in this draw. Starodubtseva, ranked in the 60s, is still establishing herself on the WTA circuit but has shown the ability to upset higher-ranked opponents, particularly when she finds rhythm from the baseline. This clash sets up a classic battle between proven experience and emerging talent, where both players will look to establish control through early service games. Fans can expect a tactical contest defined by shot placement, mental resilience, and the ability to manage momentum shifts across sets.

Ajla Tomljanović (Australia)

Ajla Tomljanović, 32, represents Australia and has been a well-recognized figure on the WTA Tour for over a decade. Known for her fighting spirit and strong baseline consistency, she has reached several WTA finals and claimed a WTA 125 title in Florianópolis in 2024, underlining her competitive edge. Tomljanović has also been a constant threat at Grand Slam tournaments, with multiple second-week appearances, where she showcased her ability to handle pressure against elite opponents. Her game revolves around a solid backhand, well-timed first serves, and the patience to grind through long rallies without conceding errors. Experience on big stages is her major advantage, as she is used to the mental and physical demands of playing high-quality opponents. With her current form and ability to dictate rallies on hard courts, Tomljanović enters this match as a strong favorite to progress further in Beijing.

Key strengths: experience, backhand consistency, resilience under pressure, hard-court performance
Achievements: WTA 125 Florianópolis champion 2024, multiple WTA finals, Grand Slam quarterfinalist

Yuliia Starodubtseva (Ukraine)

Yuliia Starodubtseva, 25, has been making steady progress on the professional circuit, steadily climbing into the top 70 of the WTA rankings. She has secured four ITF singles titles and three doubles titles, showing versatility across formats and surfaces. Her game is built around solid groundstrokes, quick movement, and the ability to pressure opponents with deep, angled shots from the baseline. While she lacks the experience of Tomljanović at the biggest events, her fearless approach and steady improvement over the past two seasons make her a dangerous underdog. In 2025, she has impressed by qualifying for WTA main draws and pushing seeded players to three-set battles, demonstrating that she is ready to challenge established names. Her relative lack of pressure in this matchup may also work in her favor, as she can play with freedom against a more accomplished opponent.

Key strengths: baseline consistency, movement, fearless mentality, adaptability
Achievements: 4 ITF singles titles, top 70 WTA ranking, breakthrough into WTA main draws

Match Outlook: Ajla Tomljanović vs Yuliia Starodubtseva

Ajla Tomljanović enters this clash as the favorite due to her higher ranking, stronger hard-court record, and superior experience at WTA 1000 events. Bookmakers reflect this, with odds in the range of 1.65–1.70 for a Tomljanović victory, while Starodubtseva is priced around 2.20–2.30 as the underdog. Starodubtseva’s best chance lies in extending rallies and targeting Tomljanović’s movement to the forehand side, but maintaining consistency against a seasoned opponent will be difficult. Tomljanović’s tactical discipline and ability to stay composed in tight games should allow her to dictate key points and take control of the match. While a three-set battle is possible if Starodubtseva starts well, the Australian’s composure and mental toughness make her more likely to close in straight sets.

Prediction: Tomljanović is expected to win 2–0, relying on her hard-court consistency and experience to outlast Starodubtseva. The Australian’s tactical intelligence and superior baseline game should help her secure a relatively comfortable victory, advancing to the next round in Beijing.

Prediction

Our expert pick:

Ajla Tomljanovic is expected to edge this match with her greater experience on hard courts and ability to handle long rallies, while Yuliia Starodubtseva may struggle to maintain consistency in extended exchanges. A straight-sets win for Tomljanovic (2 - 0) looks the most likely outcome given her form and composure in key moments.

Total score Under 21.5
Handicap -2.5 games for Tomljanovic
Both players to win a set - No offers value
For extra coverage, Asian Total Under 21.0
Asian Handicap -2.5 for Tomljanovic

Place a bet on the line of 1xBet with odds of 1.66 for a Tomljanovic win

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