Wuhan Open: Zheng advances to final against Sabalenka

No 5 seed Zheng Qinwen defeated fellow Chinese Wang Xinyu 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the final of the Wuhan Open at the Optics Valley International Tennis Center on Saturday.

Zheng used her serve to dominate the match, hitting 8 aces and winning 76 percent of her first serve points as compared to just 44 percent of first serve points for Wang. She also converted five of 12 break point chances while Wang was able to convert only three out of five.

Zheng becomes the first player from China to reach the final of the Wuhan Open and only the second to make the final of any WTA 1000 series event (after Li Na). This was also her 23rd win since the end of Wimbledon, the most by any player on the WTA Tour in that span.

“First of all, very happy into the first final in the Wuhan Open, a 1000 level. Happy to have this victory. Honestly, before this tournament I have some expectations. Also I’m really excited to play in Wuhan because it’s my home. Actually mentally I was quite good, it’s just physical I’m not 100%. That happens. Whatever, I will give my best tomorrow is what I can do,” Zheng said after her win.

The Chinese, ranked No 7, will face Aryna Sabalenka, the top seed, next. The Belarusian is the two-time defending champion in Wuhan, winning the title in 2018 and 2019 and is on a 16-match winning streak here.

Sunday’s final will be the fourth meeting between the two players with Sabalenka winning all of their three previous encounters – all of which have come at the Grand Slams in the last two seasons – in straight sets.

“First of all, I think I should put my mental in the relax mood because last time when I play against her, both times, I was little bit thinking too much and I’m not able to play my tennis. So I wish tomorrow first of all I can perform well my tennis and after think about the tactic,” Zheng said of the final. “If you don’t show your tennis, it’s tough to talk about the tactic. I just wish tomorrow I could done better than last time ’cause right now my attitude change. From the lesson of last time, I know I need to keep myself in a balance.”

Zheng won against Romanian wildcard Jaqueline Cristian (6-2, 6-4), Canadian Leylah Fernandez (5-7, 6-3, 6-0) and Italian Jasmine Paolini, the No 3 seed (6-2, 3-6, 6-3) earlier in the week.

In the previous rounds of the tournament, Wang, ranked No 51, beat American Caroline Dolehide (6-4, 6-0), Italian lucky loser Lucia Bronzetti (4-6, 6-2, 6-4), American Jessica Pegula, the second seed (6-3, 7-5) and Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova (4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (6)).

Wuhan WTA 1000, other semi-final result (Optics Valley International Tennis Center, hard, USD 3,221,715):

• Aryna Sabalenka beat Coco Gauff (4): 1-6, 6-4, 6-4

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