Qinwen Zheng made an emphatic statement at the WTA Finals on Wednesday, cruising past Jasmine Paolini with a decisive 6-1, 6-1 victory. The 22-year-old Chinese star, who recently won gold at the Paris Olympics, needed just 68 minutes to overpower her Italian opponent, advancing to the semifinals in her WTA Finals debut.
Zheng’s performance was nothing short of dominant. She fired 12 aces, broke Paolini five times, and ended the match with an impressive 24 winners against only 14 unforced errors. Her rock-solid first serve kept Paolini on her heels, as Zheng won 77% of points when landing her first serve.
“It’s one of the best performances I had this year,” Zheng said. “I felt great with my serve and really enjoyed playing here tonight.”
Zheng’s victory marks her 30th win in just 34 matches since Wimbledon, showcasing her stellar form in the second half of 2024. Her success at the Finals is also historic—she’s now the first Chinese player to reach the knockout rounds since her idol, Li Na, did so in 2013.
With this win, Zheng secures the second spot in the Purple Group, behind World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka. As she heads into the semifinals, Zheng’s powerful showing has positioned her as a formidable contender, giving her fans plenty of reasons to cheer as she looks to close out her season on a high.
Leave a Reply