Zheng Qinwen continued her stellar season with a commanding 6-1, 6-1 victory over Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini, securing a place in the WTA Finals semi-finals in Riyadh. The Chinese Olympic gold medalist claimed her 30th win in her last 35 matches, wrapping up the encounter in just 67 minutes and becoming the first Chinese player since Li Na in 2013 to reach the semis at the WTA Finals.
In her final round-robin match in the Purple Group, Zheng entered needing a win to advance, with top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka already qualifying for the semis. Zheng’s victory over Paolini, combined with her earlier win against Elena Rybakina, clinched her spot as the group’s second qualifier, despite one loss to Sabalenka earlier in the week.
Reflecting on her performance, Zheng said, “It was 11 years ago [that Li Na advanced], and I’m really proud I could make it. I didn’t know what to expect coming here for the first time. This was one of my best performances this year.” Zheng delivered a strong game with a high first-serve percentage and powerful groundstrokes, securing her first break in the third game and closing the first set with a break in game seven.
The second set was equally decisive as Zheng closed out the match with her 12th ace. Although Paolini fell short in singles, she remains in contention in the doubles competition with Italian partner Sara Errani.
