Zheng Qinwen beats Jasmine Paolini to move into WTA Finals semis

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Nov 6, 2024, 21:03 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

China's Zheng Qinwen secured her spot in the WTA Finals semi-finals in Riyadh after a dominant win against Jasmine Paolini. The 22-year-old's powerful performance marked her as the youngest semi-finalist since 2011. Zheng's win follows Aryna Sabalenka's victory against Paolini, securing Sabalenka's undefeated streak in the tournament. Sabalenka is set to face Elena Rybakina in her final group match.

Zheng Qinwen beats Jasmine Paolini to move into WTA Finals semis

Zheng Qinwen. (Pic Credit - X)

NEW DELHI: China's Zheng Qinwen advanced to the WTA Finals semi-finals in Riyadh with a commanding 6-1, 6-1 victory against Italian fourth seed Jasmine Paolini on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old achieved a milestone in her WTA Finals debut, becoming the youngest semi-finalist since Petra Kvitova's appearance in 2011.
The seventh-seeded player demonstrated exceptional skill, delivering 12 aces and securing 30 victories from 34 matches since Wimbledon.
"It's one of the best performances I had during this year," she stated on court. "Really good percentage of first serves. I enjoyed a lot tonight to play here."

With a successful first-serve point rate of 77%, Zheng joined Li Na as the second Chinese competitor to reach the WTA Finals semi-finals.
"(This was) almost 11 years ago. I'm proud I could make it," Zheng reflected. "I didn't know what would happen when I came here because it's my first time. I just told myself to enjoy. Especially because I'm in a really difficult group. Thanks to all the fans who came to watch me tonight. Thanks for all your support."

The Paris Olympics victor secured second position in the purple round-robin group, following top seed Aryna Sabalenka, who confirmed her semi-final position after defeating Paolini 6-3, 7-5 on Monday, maintaining an undefeated record.
The world's top-ranked player is scheduled to face fifth seed Elena Rybakina in her concluding group match on Wednesday.

About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

End of Article