Chinese tennis star delivers dominant performance to advance to last four in Riyadh.
Zheng Qinwen made a statement at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, securing her place in the semi-finals with an emphatic 6-1, 6-1 victory over fourth seed Jasmine Paolini. The 22-year-old, making her debut at the prestigious event, became the youngest player to reach the semi-finals since Petra Kvitova in 2011.
Zheng’s stellar performance saw her fire 12 aces and win an impressive 77% of her first-serve points, marking her 30th win from 34 matches since Wimbledon. “It’s one of the best performances I had during this year,” Zheng said after the match. “A really good percentage of first serves. I enjoyed a lot tonight to play here.”
The victory also made Zheng the only Chinese woman to reach the semi-finals of the WTA Finals, following in the footsteps of Li Na. Reflecting on her achievement, Zheng said, “I’m proud I could make it. I didn’t know what would happen when I came here because it was my first time. I just told myself to enjoy it. Especially because I’m in a really difficult group.”
Having finished second in the purple round-robin group behind top seed Aryna Sabalenka, Zheng’s meteoric rise continues to capture attention in the tennis world. Her path to the semi-finals exemplifies her exceptional talent and determination.
Meanwhile, the remaining action in Riyadh has set up crucial matches for other top contenders. World No 2 Iga Swiatek faces Daria Kasatkina in a must-win match to stay in the hunt for a spot in the semi-finals. This follows the withdrawal of Jessica Pegula, who pulled out after a tough loss to Barbora Krejcikova.
