On October 13, during the Women’s Singles Final at the 2024 Wuhan Open, China’s fifth seed, Zheng Qinwen, faced a tough match against the top seed and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, ultimately losing 1-2. Despite this disappointment, Zheng achieved her best-ever performance in a WTA 1000 event.
The match held special significance for Zheng, who recently celebrated her 22nd birthday earlier this month and hails from Hubei. In the semifinals, she made headlines by defeating fellow Chinese player Wang Xinyu, marking her first appearance in a WTA 1000 final and becoming the first Chinese player to reach the singles final at the Wuhan Open.
Aryna Sabalenka, the Belarusian tennis star, progressed smoothly after a comeback victory against the newly crowned China Open champion, Coco Gauff. This marked Sabalenka’s third appearance in the Wuhan Open final, having previously won the title twice.
As it stands, Sabalenka is ranked second in the world, while Zheng sits at seventh. The two players have faced off three times before, with Sabalenka winning all matches without dropping a single set, including the Australian Open final earlier this year and the quarterfinals of the US Open over the past two seasons.
In the first set, both players held their serves until the score reached 3-2. A critical sixth game saw Sabalenka apply significant pressure with powerful returns, breaking Zheng’s serve. Although Zheng was patient during her opponent’s service games, opportunities were sparse, allowing Sabalenka to clinch the first set 6-3.
The second set started with Sabalenka breaking serve again, but Zheng quickly responded, leveling the score at 2-2. They engaged in a grueling sixth game where Zheng generated four break points, but Sabalenka defended successfully each time. After six deuces, Sabalenka managed to hold her serve. However, Zheng eventually earned a break in the eighth game, marking her first break of the match. Unfortunately, she couldn’t capitalize on her serve to win the set, allowing Sabalenka to break back. In a pivotal twelfth game, Sabalenka’s errors opened the door for Zheng, who seized her second breaking chance, taking the set 7-5. This was the first time Zheng had won a set against Sabalenka in their encounters.
After the intermission, Sabalenka regrouped and began the deciding set strongly, breaking Zheng’s serve twice to lead 3-0. The third set featured a series of lengthy rallies, with Zheng demonstrating resilience and even having moments of brilliance where she could have leveled the score. However, fatigue appeared to set in, impacting her serving power.
Ultimately, Sabalenka made the most of her break points and won the final set 6-3, completing the match in over two and a half hours. With this victory, she secured her third consecutive title at the Wuhan Open and extended her winning streak in the tournament.
Despite the loss, Zheng’s performance in the tournament has been commendable. Her exceptional play over the past two weeks, combined with her accomplishments at both the China Open and the Wuhan Open, has positioned her favorably in the race for a spot in the year-end finals. She has now surpassed Navarro in the rankings and is currently seated seventh.
Looking ahead, Zheng plans to continue her journey in Ningbo and Tokyo in preparation for the year-end finals, which will take place in early November in Riyadh.
