Qinwen Zheng advanced to the China Open final in Beijing earlier this week by defeating Elise Mertens in straight sets.
Reaching the Beijing Milestone
Zheng secured her spot in the championship match with a straight-sets win over Elise Mertens in the tournament’s second semifinal. Zheng described her approach as taking things one match at a time. “Per me la cosa importante era affrontare una partita alla volta. Sono felice di essere la prima cinese in finale a Pechino,” Zheng stated after the victory.
The result ties her best-ever performance at a WTA 1000 event. Her path to the final included winning her previous two matches in straight sets, following a resilient run that saw her become the second player in a WTA 1000 tournament to reach the quarterfinals after four successes in three sets.
Maintaining Momentum on Court
Zheng reflected on how her comfort level shifts as tournaments progress. “Più partite gioco, più mi sento libera e riesco a esprimere un tennis migliore,” she explained. “Sono il tipo di giocatrice che ha un potenziale molto alto, quindi ho bisogno di trovare il mio ritmo fin dall’inizio del torneo.”
“Il mio obiettivo era essere aggressiva e, allo stesso tempo, costante. Sono fortunata a esserci riuscita,” she added.
| Tournament Stage | Opponent | Result Type |
|---|---|---|
| Semifinal | Elise Mertens | Straight Sets |
| Quarterfinal & Prior | Various | Four Three-Set Wins |
Looking Ahead to the Final
Despite the nature of her run at the China Open, the penultimate WTA 1000 of the season, Zheng maintains a grounded outlook. “So che la battaglia non è ancora finita. C’è ancora una partita da giocare. Direi che resterò con i piedi per terra e vedremo cosa succederà,” she said.
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