Qinwen Zheng aimed to reach her first French Open semi-final by defeating the current world number one.
The Chinese tennis sensation arrived in Paris with high spirits, having triumphed at the venue less than a year ago, where she secured the Olympic Gold by beating Donna Vekic last August.
After overcoming opponents like Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Emiliana Arango, Victoria Mboko, and Liudmila Samsonova, Zheng secured her spot in the quarterfinals.
In the quarterfinal match, she faced Aryna Sabalenka, whom she had recently defeated in Rome. However, the 22-year-old couldn’t replicate that success, falling to Sabalenka with a score of 6-7, 3-6.
Mats Wilander Evaluates Zheng’s Game
Following Zheng’s defeat, tennis legend Mats Wilander pointed out an aspect of her game he believes is a ‘liability.’ He emphasized her struggles under pressure, particularly with her second serve. He stated, “[Qinwen] Zheng is not good in the short court. She needs to work on her drop shots and volleys.”
While commending Zheng’s power from the baseline, he noted that her second serve became a significant disadvantage during the match against Sabalenka.
Zheng’s Rivalry with Sabalenka
Zheng’s hopes of winning a Grand Slam may hinge on improving her record against Sabalenka. Despite a recent victory over Sabalenka at the Italian Open, she has now lost seven of her eight matches versus the Belarusian, including four Majors.
Wilander expressed confidence that Zheng possesses the potential to become a future Grand Slam champion, stating, “But she is going to improve and has everything you need physically.”
As Zheng heads to the new Queen’s Club WTA 500 event starting June 9, Sabalenka is preparing for her semi-final against Iga Swiatek on June 5.
