Zheng Qinwen Achieves Quarterfinal Milestone at French Open
The young Chinese player showcases her potential despite a loss to world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka.
Zheng Qinwen, the 22-year-old Olympic tennis gold medalist, advanced to the quarterfinals of the French Open before losing to world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in a tightly contested match.
The match, held on June 3, 2025, ended with Sabalenka winning 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.
Zheng initially broke serve in the first set, demonstrating strong early performance.
However, Sabalenka, maintaining her rank as top seed, staged a comeback and secured the set in a tiebreaker, continuing her momentum into the second set to close out the match.
Despite the defeat, Zheng's performance highlighted her capability to compete at high levels against top-tier players, as noted by Pan Shouhu, a former coach with the Chinese Tennis Association.
This year’s event marked Zheng's best showing at the French Open, becoming only the second Chinese player to reach this stage following Li Na's 2011 title victory.
Her journey included a significant win over Russia's Liudmila Samsonova in the previous round, where she triumphed 7-6 (7/5), 1-6, 6-3.
After the match, Sabalenka expressed her admiration for Zheng, acknowledging the challenging nature of their encounters.
She also indicated her aspirations for the tournament, stating, “Everyone wants that beautiful trophy.
I’m glad I have another opportunity, another semifinal to do better than last time.”
The match with Sabalenka continued a trend of competitive encounters between the two players, with Zheng having previously secured her first victory over the Belarusian just a month prior on clay in Rome.
The evolving rivalry reflects Zheng’s growing stature in the tennis world; her live ranking has now positioned her at No. 5 globally, a significant leap that underscores her consistent performance and burgeoning talent.
Zheng has made notable strides since her debut at Roland Garros in 2022, where she pushed eventual champion Iga Swiatek before losing in a challenging fourth-round match.
Experts observe that while she did not reach the semifinals this year, the performance gap with Sabalenka appears to be narrowing.
Pan Shouhu elaborated on Zheng’s mental growth, indicating her ability to remain composed under pressure and fight for each point, crucial aspects that will contribute to her future success on the professional circuit.
As the tournament progresses, the tennis community anticipates Zheng's continued development and her potential impact on the global stage.
The match, held on June 3, 2025, ended with Sabalenka winning 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.
Zheng initially broke serve in the first set, demonstrating strong early performance.
However, Sabalenka, maintaining her rank as top seed, staged a comeback and secured the set in a tiebreaker, continuing her momentum into the second set to close out the match.
Despite the defeat, Zheng's performance highlighted her capability to compete at high levels against top-tier players, as noted by Pan Shouhu, a former coach with the Chinese Tennis Association.
This year’s event marked Zheng's best showing at the French Open, becoming only the second Chinese player to reach this stage following Li Na's 2011 title victory.
Her journey included a significant win over Russia's Liudmila Samsonova in the previous round, where she triumphed 7-6 (7/5), 1-6, 6-3.
After the match, Sabalenka expressed her admiration for Zheng, acknowledging the challenging nature of their encounters.
She also indicated her aspirations for the tournament, stating, “Everyone wants that beautiful trophy.
I’m glad I have another opportunity, another semifinal to do better than last time.”
The match with Sabalenka continued a trend of competitive encounters between the two players, with Zheng having previously secured her first victory over the Belarusian just a month prior on clay in Rome.
The evolving rivalry reflects Zheng’s growing stature in the tennis world; her live ranking has now positioned her at No. 5 globally, a significant leap that underscores her consistent performance and burgeoning talent.
Zheng has made notable strides since her debut at Roland Garros in 2022, where she pushed eventual champion Iga Swiatek before losing in a challenging fourth-round match.
Experts observe that while she did not reach the semifinals this year, the performance gap with Sabalenka appears to be narrowing.
Pan Shouhu elaborated on Zheng’s mental growth, indicating her ability to remain composed under pressure and fight for each point, crucial aspects that will contribute to her future success on the professional circuit.
As the tournament progresses, the tennis community anticipates Zheng's continued development and her potential impact on the global stage.
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