Zheng Reaches WTA Finals Semifinals as Sabalenka Suffers Defeat

Zheng Qinwen secured her spot in the WTA Finals semifinals by defeating Jasmine Paolini in Riyadh in a match lasting only 67 minutes. This occurred as Aryna Sabalenka, who had already qualified, was beaten by an inspired Elena Rybakina. The Chinese Olympic gold medalist, Zheng, demonstrated her strength with a straightforward 6-1, 6-1 victory, which resulted in the elimination of Italy’s Paolini. This outcome gave the 22-year-old a 2-1 record in the group stage, with her only defeat having been against Sabalenka on the opening day of the competition. Zheng becomes only the second Chinese woman to advance to the tournament’s semi-finals, following the achievement of the renowned Li Na in 2013. She stated, “I didn’t know what would happen when I came here. I just told myself to enjoy it, especially because I am in a really difficult group.” Sabalenka, who had secured the year-end world number one ranking earlier in the week, was defeated by Rybakina with a score of 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 in a match characterized by powerful hitting. Despite the loss, the 26-year-old Belarusian concluded the round-robin phase as the group’s top player, while her opponent had already been eliminated following defeats by Zheng and Paolini. The 2022 Wimbledon champion, Rybakina, commented, “It’s nice to finish the year with at least one win against the world number one. I’m just happy.” The final standings in the second group remain undetermined, with American Coco Gauff being the sole competitor to have guaranteed her place in the semi-finals. Either Barbora Krejcikova, scheduled to play Gauff on Thursday, or Iga Swiatek will progress to the next stage alongside her. Poland’s Swiatek was originally set to compete against the already-eliminated Jessica Pegula; however, the American withdrew on Wednesday due to a knee injury and will be substituted by alternate Daria Kasatkina. Kasatkina, recognized as one of the few openly gay players on the WTA Tour, had previously stated that she received “given guarantees” regarding her safety if she were to participate in Saudi Arabia. The Russian player had previously voiced concerns about competing in the nation. The choice to host the year-end tournament in Riyadh for the first time has drawn criticism from some due to Saudi Arabia’s human rights record. Aryna Sabalenka (right) and Elena Rybakina share an engaging rivalry, with Sabalenka currently holding a 6-4 lead. Despite Rybakina not advancing to the semi-finals, her notable victory in Riyadh marks a favorable conclusion to a season that was affected by injuries and illness. Sabalenka is considered the most powerful player on the women’s tour, particularly on hard courts; however, Rybakina is among the few capable of challenging her, thanks to her potent forehand and formidable serve. The top seed displayed early frustration, striking her racquet against the court following an opening sequence that featured four service breaks within the first five games. A poorly executed forehand error provided Rybakina with the decisive break, giving her a 5-4 advantage, and the Kazakh player swiftly concluded the set with a cross-court winner. Following a bathroom break—and expressing some frustration to her coaches—Sabalenka reduced her unforced errors in the second set, achieving a vital break through a sequence of powerful backhands. Nevertheless, the Australian and US Open champion’s performance deteriorated in the deciding set, as she lost five consecutive games while Rybakina served to clinch a high-quality win. Attendance at the season-ending competition has seemed underwhelming—with Tim Henman among those who criticized the sparse crowd for Iga Swiatek’s initial match on Sunday—yet Zheng has consistently attracted spectators. The world number seven, who was runner-up to Sabalenka at this year’s Australian Open, dominated Wimbledon and French Open runner-up Paolini using her powerful forehand and reliable serve. Zheng recorded 24 winners and 12 aces during her 67-minute triumph, while the 28-year-old Paolini could not contend with the forceful hitting. This marks the first occasion Zheng has defeated two top-10 players in a single tournament, having previously overcome world number five Rybakina in three sets earlier in the week. Since her Olympic success in Paris, Zheng has claimed titles in Palermo and Tokyo, in addition to reaching the quarter-finals of the US Open and the final of the Wuhan Open. She remarked, “Finally, I showed off some tennis I really want to play.” She added, “You are nervous but at the same time you feel confidence because you know your level – and I know how capable I am.”