Upon clinching the coveted gold medal in the women's singles tennis event at the Asian Games a few weeks ago, Zheng Qinwen's countenance betrayed sheer delight and a tinge of ineffable melancholy, a sense of setback, and a touch of sorrow. 

Only through subsequent interviews did it come to light that Zheng had been dealt a cruel blow of betrayal. The Chinese sensation's coach, Wim Fissette, allegedly breached their contractual terms to join forces with the illustrious former world No.1 Naomi Osaka. The Japanese talisman, who took a hiatus from the game following the birth of her daughter earlier this year, is now gearing up for her comeback. 

When pressed for further details on the matter, Zheng opted to keep her gaze fixed on the future. 

"It's a highly unethical situation, but since it was his personal choice, I must respect it," she observed. "It has caused some pain for both me and my family, but I prefer not to dwell on that individual any longer." 

Staying true to her words, Zheng showcased her unwavering spirit in the midst of turmoil. Undeterred by the recent controversy, she forged ahead in the first tournament following the incident, stringing together a series of wins to secure a spot in the round of 16 at the Zhengzhou Open.  

And on Wednesday night, when confronted with the formidable challenge of the No.3 seed Maria Sakkari, Zheng surpassed all expectations by triumphing once more. 

In earlier encounters, Sakkari had halted Zheng's Grand Slam debut during the second round of the 2022 Australian Open.  Zheng had also suffered a three-set defeat against the Greek star in the first round of Doha earlier this year. 

However, this time, Zheng demonstrated an impressive display of resilience right from the start. With a fierce determination, she outshone Sakkari 7-6(2), 6-3 in an hour and 49 minutes, propelling herself into her fifth quarterfinal of 2023. 

The 21-year-old prodigy notched an admirable tally of 30 winners against 28 unforced errors throughout the match. To the delight of her fervent supporters, Zheng sealed her victory on the second match point with her 13th ace, further amplifying the joyous atmosphere. 

"The game plan today was to fight for every single point and try to play aggressive when I can because the last two times I played her I was not aggressive enough, and I stayed too long in the same spot," said Zheng. 

"I also tried to improve my first serve percentage and return more in the middle," she added. "I had a good performance tonight, and I think the fans here helped me a lot." 

Zheng has already achieved two milestones in her fledgling career this summer. First, she secured her first-ever major title in Palermo, followed by a momentous run to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open.  

The triumph over Sakkari marked Zheng's fifth notable conquest against a Top 10 adversary throughout her career. With these remarkable achievements firmly etched in her repertoire, Zheng's self-assurance soared, empowering her to aim for even loftier summits.  

Undoubtedly, as one of the most promising talents in the tennis domain, Zheng will find herself inundated with offers from coaches eager to forge a partnership and contribute to her extraordinary journey.