Il Nuovo Postiglione - Zheng downs Sakkari to reach Zhengzhou last eight

NYSE - LSE

CMSD	-0.05%	21.169	$
RBGPF	-0.62%	70.69	$
BCC	-1.08%	77.93	$
JRI	-0.5%	12.338	$
RYCEF	-0.24%	20.7	$
CMSC	-0.12%	21.285	$
AZN	-1.77%	161.665	$
BCE	-0.11%	23.375	$
RELX	0.38%	36.44	$
BP	-1.1%	41.88	$
RIO	-1.49%	103.24	$
BTI	-0.25%	56.139	$
GSK	0.24%	50.39	$
VOD	0.59%	15.975	$
NGG	-0.13%	79.325	$

Zheng downs Sakkari to reach Zhengzhou last eight

SPORTS 11.10.2023

Zheng downs Sakkari to reach Zhengzhou last eight / Photo: Ishara S. KODIKARA - AFP

Zheng Qinwen underlined her status as the future of Chinese women's tennis with a 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 win over sixth-ranked Maria Sakkari at the Zhengzhou Open on Wednesday.

Text size:

It was the 21-year-old Zheng's fifth top-10 victory of her young career and set up a quarter-final with Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina.

Zheng sealed victory with her 13th ace of the match, to the delight of the home fans.

A quarter-finalist at the US Open last month, Zheng is searching for a second WTA title, having triumphed in Palermo in July.

Ranked 24 in the world, Zheng was dealt a blow a few weeks ago when her coach Wim Fissette ended their partnership to go back to working with former world number one Naomi Osaka, who is set to return from maternity leave next season.

But the 2022 WTA Newcomer of the Year rebounded in style, clinching gold at the Asian Games in Hangzhou and now taking down third seed Sakkari for the first time in three meetings.

"The game plan today was to fight for every single point and try to play aggressive when I can because the last two times I played her I was not aggressive enough and I stayed too long in the same spot," said Zheng.

"I think tonight the fans here helped me a lot," she added.

The seeds exodus started earlier in the day when Jasmine Paolini knocked out reigning WTA Finals champion and sixth seed Caroline Garcia 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 in two hours and 17 minutes.

The Italian world No.31 saved four match points on her own serve at 4-5 in the deciding set before claiming a crucial break in the 11th game to punch her ticket to the quarter-finals for a sixth time in 2023.

The 27-year-old now awaits Laura Siegemund or Liudmila Samsonova in the last eight.

"I lost to Caroline four times and it was really tough," she said.

"I think I got experience from the matches that I lost to her and I tried to do something better."

Q.Bernardi--INP

Featured

Bezzecchi edges Marquez brothers in blazing Spanish MotoGP practice

Marco Bezzecchi edged out brothers Alex and Marc Marquez in a knife-edged second practice session for the Spanish MotoGP at Alacaniz in Aragon on Friday.

Former Spain captain Morata joins second-tier Leganes

Veteran striker Alvaro Morata on Friday joined Spanish second-division outfit Leganes on loan from Italian side Como.

Ukraine opposes reintegration of Russia to motorsport

The Ukrainian Automobile Federation (FAU) has challenged the International Automobile Federation (FIA) over the reinstatement of Russian and Belarusian drivers competing under the flags and national anthems of their countries.

Gianni Infantino’s FIFA Presidency Faces Unprecedented Governance Crisis

FIFA President Gianni Infantino faces the most significant political crisis of his tenure after FIFA’s proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup triggered widespread rejection from confederations. UEFA has withdrawn confidence in his leadership, marking a turning point for the global governing body that Infantino promised to reform nearly a decade ago.