Putintseva came to Guangzhou short on confidence, having won just two main-draw matches in her last ten tournaments and often forced to battle through qualifying rounds. But on this humid evening, the Kazakh rediscovered her edge in a tense opening-round test that demanded every ounce of her experience.
After seeing a double-break lead vanish in the deciding set, Putintseva steadied herself just in time, grinding out a 6–4 finish to survive. It wasn’t pretty — the match see-sawed wildly with service breaks and momentum swings — but her veteran poise finally carried her across the line.
Eighteen-year-old Alina Korneeva, meanwhile, came within a few points of flipping the contest on its head. The Russian teenager showed why she’s regarded as one of the brightest young talents in women’s tennis, matching Putintseva’s intensity and outplaying her in stretches. A two-time junior Grand Slam champion (Australian Open and Roland Garros 2023) and former world No. 1 junior, Korneeva has been rising steadily through the WTA 125 ranks. Her composure and shot-making under pressure proved she belongs at this level — even if she fell just short this time.
For more WTA match reports, visit our Match Reports section.
Putintseva survives Korneeva’s comeback surge, edges 7–6 (2)
Yulia Putintseva exploded to a 4–0 lead behind flawless serving and two early breaks as Alina Korneeva’s first-serve rhythm deserted her. From there, Korneeva mounted a spirited four-game run—holding to 40–30, then breaking twice to level at 4–4. The set turned into a tug-of-war of nerves, both trading late breaks before Putintseva fended off a set point at 5–6 (40–30) with trademark grit.
In the tiebreak, Putintseva sprinted ahead 4–0 after back-to-back mini-breaks and never looked back, closing 7–2 on her third set point.
| TB Score | Server | Outcome | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–1 | Korneeva | Lost serve | Early mini-break |
| 0–2 | Putintseva | Hold | Extends lead |
| 0–3 | Putintseva | Hold | Consolidates both points |
| 0–4 | Korneeva | Lost serve | Second mini-break; 0–4 hole |
| 1–4 | Korneeva | Hold | Korneeva claws one back |
| 1–5 | Putintseva | Hold | Maintains 4-pt cushion |
| 2–5 | Putintseva | Lost serve | Gets one point back to keep hope alive |
| 2–6 | Korneeva | Lost serve | Another mini-break; gives Putintseva 4 SPs |
| 2–7 | Korneeva | Setpoint converted | Wins tiebreak 7–2, takes set. |
This opener offered a bit of everything —Korneeva’s comeback energy met by Putintseva’s seasoned composure in the breaker.
Korneeva vs Putintseva – Set One Stats
| Statistic | Korneeva | Putintseva |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 0.78 | 1.29 |
| Serve Rating | 213 | 262 |
| Aces | 3 | 0 |
| Double Faults | 3 | 1 |
| 1st Serve % | 71% (27/38) | 81% (29/36) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 67% (18/27) | 72% (21/29) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 8% (1/12) | 43% (3/7) |
| Break Points Saved | 33% (1/3) | 50% (2/4) |
| Service Games | 67% (4/6) | 67% (4/6) |
| Ace % | 7.9% | 0% |
| Double Fault % | 7.9% | 2.8% |
| Return Rating | 168 | 225 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 28% (8/29) | 33% (9/27) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 57% (4/7) | 92% (11/12) |
| Break Points Won | 50% (2/4) | 67% (2/3) |
| Return Games | 33% (2/6) | 33% (2/6) |
| Pressure Points | 43% (3/7) | 57% (4/7) |
| Service Points | 50% (19/38) | 61% (22/36) |
| Return Points | 39% (14/36) | 50% (19/38) |
| Total Points | 45% (33/74) | 55% (41/74) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 7 | 10 |
| Max Games In A Row | 5 | 4 |
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Total Games | 50% (6/12) | 50% (6/12) |
| Set 1 Duration | 0h51m | |
Korneeva weathers a storm—saves 8 break points and seals Set 2, 6–4
Alina Korneeva turned a tense, serve-dominated start into a statement of grit. Trailing early in rhythm, she dug in at 1–1, saving a break point that steadied her game. The turning point came at 3–2, when she pounced on Yulia Putintseva’s first lapse and broke cleanly on her only chance.
From there, the Russian teenager’s serve became a wall. Korneeva calmly consolidated to 4–2, then produced the set’s defining stand at 5–3—saving six break points, including from 0–40, with gutsy hitting and well-placed serves. When she served for the set at 5–4, she erased another BP and closed it on her first set point, sealing the frame 6–4 with quiet conviction.
Putintseva, for her part, mixed stretches of dominance with missed chances. Her early love holds underscored her baseline control, and she fought hard to save two set points at 5–4, but that lone slip midway through the set proved too costly.
Korneeva faced eight break points across the set—she saved them all. The difference was precision under fire: Korneeva absorbed pressure, trusted her patterns, and struck cleanly when it mattered. From 2–2 onward, she owned the big points.
Korneeva vs Putintseva – Set Two Stats
| Statistic | Korneeva | Putintseva |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 0.83 | 1.21 |
| Serve Rating | 282 | 279 |
| Aces | 0 | 0 |
| Double Faults | 1 | 1 |
| 1st Serve % | 69% (27/39) | 85% (23/27) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 78% (21/27) | 65% (15/23) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 36% (4/11) | 50% (2/4) |
| Break Points Saved | 100% (6/6) | 67% (2/3) |
| Service Games | 100% (5/5) | 80% (4/5) |
| Ace % | 0% | 0% |
| Double Fault % | 2.6% | 3.7% |
| Return Rating | 138 | 86 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 35% (8/23) | 22% (6/27) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 50% (2/4) | 64% (7/11) |
| Break Points Won | 33% (1/3) | 0% (0/6) |
| Return Games | 20% (1/5) | 0% (0/5) |
| Pressure Points | 78% (7/9) | 22% (2/9) |
| Service Points | 64% (25/39) | 70% (19/27) |
| Return Points | 30% (8/27) | 36% (14/39) |
| Total Points | 50% (33/66) | 50% (33/66) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 5 | 7 |
| Max Games In A Row | 3 | 1 |
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Total Games | 60% (6/10) | 40% (4/10) |
| Set 2 Duration | 0h44 | |
Putintseva steadies first, finishes last—grabs the decider 6–4
Yulia Putintseva set the tone with a composed opening hold and an immediate break, racing to 3–0 behind sharp returns and tidy first-strike patterns. Alina Korneeva punched back—love break for 2–3, then another break at 3–4—but couldn’t chain holds under pressure.
From 4–4, Putintseva tightened the screws: a strong hold for 5–4, then she dragged the final game to deuce and converted her first match point on Ad-out. The middle stretch was wild—two love breaks traded, then Korneeva’s second break—but Putintseva owned the bookends and the finish.She sealed victory 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-4 after nearly two and a half hours.
Korneeva vs Putintseva – Set Three Stats
| Statistic | Korneeva | Putintseva |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 0.76 | 1.32 |
| Serve Rating | 202 | 245 |
| Aces | 1 | 0 |
| Double Faults | 1 | 1 |
| 1st Serve % | 62% (18/29) | 75% (18/24) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 50% (9/18) | 61% (11/18) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 50% (6/12) | 50% (3/6) |
| Break Points Saved | 0% (0/3) | 33% (1/3) |
| Service Games | 40% (2/5) | 60% (3/5) |
| Ace % | 3.4% | 0% |
| Double Fault % | 3.4% | 4.2% |
| Return Rating | 196 | 260 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 39% (7/18) | 50% (9/18) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 50% (3/6) | 50% (6/12) |
| Break Points Won | 67% (2/3) | 100% (3/3) |
| Return Games | 40% (2/5) | 60% (3/5) |
| Pressure Points | 33% (2/6) | 67% (4/6) |
| Service Points | 45% (13/29) | 58% (14/24) |
| Return Points | 42% (10/24) | 55% (16/29) |
| Total Points | 43% (23/53) | 57% (30/53) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 8 | 7 |
| Max Games In A Row | 2 | 3 |
| Injury Timeouts | 0 | 0 |
| Total Games | 40% (4/10) | 60% (6/10) |
| Set 3 Duration | 0:53 | |
Alina Korneeva leaves with promise after a brave fight
The teenager had battled hard but somehow Yulia Putintseva found a way out. Alina Korneeva will take plenty of heart from this performance. She’s not playing these occasions every week just yet, but she stood her ground against a seasoned tour fighter, showing poise beyond her years in long rallies and fearless intent under pressure.
For Putintseva, the task now is to consolidate this hard-fought win when she faces Germany’s Ella Seidel next. The Kazakh’s intensity and edge in experience got her through today—but she’ll know she can’t afford another rollercoaster if she wants to push deeper into the draw.