By love-89.com On the evening of October 12, the 2024 Wuhan Tennis Open concluded its women’s singles semifinals. In a matchup dubbed the “Chinese Flower Derby,” Zheng Qinwen triumphed over Wang Xinyu with a score of 2-0 (6-3, 6-4) and will face her longtime rival Aryna Sabalenka in the finals. This marks Zheng’s first appearance in a WTA 1000 event final.
This semifinal showcased the first-ever “China Derby” at the WTA 1000 level, making it a historic encounter between Zheng and Wang, who faced each other for the first time in their professional careers.
Reflecting on her path to the semifinals, Zheng initially struggled against former U.S. Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez, dropping a set before making a comeback to secure victory. She then pulled off a key break against third-seeded Italian player Jasmine Paolini to reach the semifinals.
Wang, on the other hand, made headlines by defeating second seed Jess Pegula to advance to her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal and later staged a comeback from 3-5 down in the final set against Anna Blinkova to secure her spot in the final four.
When discussing their upcoming clash, Zheng noted the unique pressure of competing against a fellow Chinese player. “It’s a good thing because it shows that we have really elevated our levels, both of us being in the semifinals of the same tournament,” she stated.
Before the start of the semifinal, renowned snooker player Ding Junhui was present as a guest for the coin toss. The match unfolded quickly, with both players diving straight into action. In the fourth game of the first set, Zheng executed a cleverly angled line shot to earn a break. However, Wang quickly responded with a break of her own.
The pivotal eighth game saw Wang struggle with unforced errors, allowing Zheng to capitalize with a strong forehand from the baseline, breaking again and leading to her serve for the set. Zheng clinched the first set 6-3 with an impressive serving game.
In the second set, Zheng maintained her momentum, breaking Wang’s serve right away. Wang, seizing on Zheng’s slight dip in serving quality, managed to break back. After both players held their serves, Zheng’s fitness began to take hold, leading to crucial breaks and pressure on Wang, ultimately securing her victory.
Before Zheng’s semifinal, top seed Aryna Sabalenka had already advanced to the finals by defeating fourth seed Coco Gauff 1-6, 6-4, 6-4. This victory marked Sabalenka’s 16th consecutive win at the Wuhan Open, as she aimed for her third consecutive final appearance at this tournament and her tenth WTA 1000 level final overall.
Zheng and Sabalenka previously met at the Australian and U.S. Opens, with the Chinese player falling short both times. However, with the upcoming final taking place on home soil, Zheng’s performance is certainly one to watch.