Zheng shows enough to suggest this will not be her last slam final
The Chinese has the serve, the speed and the determination to be back in a Grand Slam final sooner rather than later
Zheng Qinwen at the 2024 Australian Open (Panoramic)
When Zheng Qinwen’s disappointment at missing out on a first Grand Slam title begins to die down in a few days, the 21-year-old will realise something. She achieved something huge.
In her first slam final, she was not overawed, she fought hard and made a good account of herself, enough to show that it may be the first of several. On the 10th anniversary of Li Na winning here, she was the youngest Chinese woman to reach a slam final. And even though she didn’t play her best, she showed what she’s made of.
Trailing 5-2 in the first set, Zheng found herself 0-40 down, staring three set points in the face. Many players might have just thrown in the towel there and then but instead, Zheng went ace, forehand winner, ace to get back to deuce. After a second deuce, she hit another ace and a service winner to at least ask Sabalenka the question.
Sabalenka, of course, responded by holding but it was a mark of the Chinese’s mental strength that she held firm in that moment. She didn’t freeze in her first final, she just couldn’t quite cope with the power coming from the other side of the net, unable quite to play her best.
And considering that only Coco Gauff, in the quarter-finals, got more than three games in a set against Sabalenka here all fortnight, her effort should not be underestimated. Nevertheless, it was notable that Zheng was still disappointed with herself, hard on herself, even.
“The difference was the beginning,” she said. “I couldn’t hold the service game. Then later on, when I got the chance to break her 40-Love up (at 2-0 down in the first set) and I’m not able to make it, that little moment makes the match so different. If I play against Sabalenka at this level, if you don’t take this chance the match went away really fast.
“She’s a really aggressive player. If you let a chance go, it will happen like today. There is nothing more I can say in the match. Yeah, because basically I think I could done much better than that.”
With 54 aces, Zheng served twice as many in the tournament as anyone else, with Sabalenka second on 27. Her serve is a genuine weapon and if she continues to improve at the rate she’s been going, then not only will she remain in the top 10 – which she breaks into on Monday – but she has the game to go much higher. She’s aggressive, incredibly fast and as determined and disciplined as anyone out there.
There was a lot to be proud of for Zheng and as he press conference reached its end, some realisation of her achievements were beginning to seep in.
“I would say there were a lot of difficult matches for me on the way, and I was able to hold that difficult moment and trying to win the match even (if) I wasn’t play my best tennis, I wasn’t feeling that good there,” she said.
“Actually, I think I can learn more with the loss today, and then I just hope next time I can come back as a better tennis player and come back stronger.”
All the signs are that she will. Watch this space.
