See below for our expert daily tennis tips and best bets around the courts for Thursday 18th of September 2025!
Grand slam winners Barbora Krejcikova and Emma Raducanu meet for the first time in the Korea Open’s Round of 16.
Eighth seed Raducanu accounted for Jaqueline Cristian 6-3 6-4 in the first round, while Krejcikova demolished Tatiana Prozorova.
World No.33 Raducanu has had a solid couple of months despite having only one deep run – a semi-final appearance at the Citi Open – as she endured a string of tough draws, running into Aryna Sabalenka twice, as well as Amanda Anisimova and Elena Rybakina.
Fellow injury-prone star Krejcikova is coming off a strong bounce-back at the tail-end of the North American swing, making the last 16 in Cincinnati and the quarters at the US Open. She beat the likes of Elina Svitolina, Victoria Mboko and Emma Navarro during those runs.
Krejcikova also has the benefit of a day’s rest, with Raducanu’s assignment delayed by rain. The Czech’s momentum, along with the variety in her game, make her an enticing underdog here.
Aussie Maya Joint is through to the quarter-finals in Seoul, where she will take on third seed Clara Tauson.
The pair met at the Canberra International earlier this year, with Tauson prevailing 6-4 6-2. Both players have come along in leaps and bounds since.
The latest chapter in 19-year-old Joint’s breakout year has seen her beat Linda Fruhvirtova (6-4 7-6) and seventh seed Sofia Kenin (6-3 6-1). The burgeoning world No.46 already has two WTA titles to her name.
Tauson has climbed to a career-high No.12 and bounced back from a disappointing end to her North American swing – losing to Alex Eala first up at the US Open after making the Montreal Masters semis – with a 6-2 7-6 win over Eva Lys in her opening assignment here.
Joint has claimed some big scalps already, but Tauson has been at a consistently high level throughout 2025 and should salute as a $1.57 favourite.
Australian veteran Christopher O’Connell lines up against China’s Yi Zhou in the second round of the Chengdu Open.
Dropping outside the top 100, O’Connell made the semis of the Guangzhou Challenger last week, retiring in the first set against Alejandro Tabilo.
The 31-year-old fought back to beat Quentin Halys 6-7 6-3 6-4 in the first round here.
World No.304 Zhou produced arguably the biggest win of his career to date with a 6-7 6-4 7-6 upset of fifth seed and former top-10 star Cameron Norrie.
It was a performance that suggests the 20-year-old is more than capable of getting past O’Connell, but another lengthy battle seems likely for the pair.
Chengdu Open fourth seed Brandon Nakashima gets his tournament underway against homegrown home Juncheng Shang, the defending champion.
World No.33 Nakashima has enjoyed some high points in 2025, reaching the Acapulco Open semis and the last 16 of both Sunshine Double events and the Madrid Masters.
But he had a modest North American swing, culminating in a second-round upset loss to Swiss qualifier Jerome Kym at the US Open.
World No.138 Shang broke into the top 50 last year after winning this tournament, beating Lorenzo Musetti in the final.
The 20-year-old’s 2025 campaign has been ravaged by injury, but he chalked up his first tour-level win of the year against Zizou Bergs (6-1 5-7 6-4) in the first round here.
Despite that breakthrough and his success in Chengdu last year, Shang may struggle to match Nakashima’s firepower.