Zheng Qinwen strengthened her semi-final bid at the WTA Finals in Riyadh by overcoming world No. 5 Elena Rybakina in a hard-fought 7-6 (7/4), 3-6, 6-1 victory on Monday. This win marks her first triumph over Rybakina in their three encounters and comes after a narrow opening round-robin loss to Aryna Sabalenka.
Rybakina, now with two consecutive defeats, faces a tough path to advance, with a must-win match against Sabalenka on Wednesday. Following the victory, Zheng expressed relief and joy, saying, “I never beat her before… she’s one of the greatest players on tour, huge serve and great groundstrokes.” Reflecting on her performance, she admitted to losing her composure briefly but thanked her supporters for standing by her.
Zheng’s recent form has been stellar, with titles in Palermo and Tokyo and an Olympic gold medal in Paris, making her the tour leader in matches won since mid-season. She is also the first Chinese player to qualify for the WTA Finals since Li Na in 2013, building a formidable 12-2 record during the Asian swing.
Rybakina, on the other hand, has struggled since Wimbledon, limited by health issues and injuries. In a gripping match, Zheng claimed an early 4-1 lead in the first set before Rybakina fought back to level it, forcing a tiebreak which Zheng clinched after 58 minutes. Rybakina rallied in the second set, taking four games in a row to force a decider. However, Zheng regained control in the final set, sealing the win—her ninth career victory over a top-10 player—by capitalizing on her strong service games and holding off Rybakina’s powerful returns.
