China's Zheng Qinwen ignites inner fire to edge former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka

Breakups are undeniably one of life's most arduous trials. When a relationship falters and we are forced to give up, it can be an immensely challenging ordeal. However, as the wise adage goes, "Don't let someone who doesn't value your worth make you forget how valuable you truly are."  

These words certainly struck a chord with Chinese tennis prodigy Zheng Qinwen as she faced off against former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka for the first time since her coach Wim Fissette left her for the Japanese star last year.  

Although the sting of betrayal may have dulled over time, the fire within Zheng still burned brightly. With poise and self-assurance, she swiftly dispatched Osaka with a resounding 6-2, 6-4 victory in just one hour and 24 minutes on Monday. This impressive performance earned her a spot in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open for the second consecutive year.

Osaka, who made a triumphant return to the game following a break after the birth of her daughter in 2023, had been enjoying a splendid run in this year's WTA 1000 tournament. She secured three consecutive victories on the clay courts, a feat she had only achieved twice before in her career.  

However, Osaka's serve proved to be her downfall in the showdown with Zheng, as she suffered three crucial breaks in the opening set. To make matters worse, Osaka was broken once again in the first game of the second set. In contrast, Zheng capitalized on all four break point opportunities that came her way, showcasing her resilience and determination as she stormed into the last eight.

The meeting between the two players marked only their second encounter, with Osaka emerging as the winner in their previous clash during the San Jose Open in 2022. Reflecting on her win this time around, Zheng shared her perspective, highlighting her improved return game. 

"If we were to compare to our previous match, I would say that my return game has shown the most improvement," she observed. "Today, I was able to effectively handle Osaka's serves and focused on engaging her in longer rallies compared to our last meeting. I recall our previous match going to a decisive third set, where I lost my service game quite quickly. However, today, I managed to bounce back after losing my service game in the first set and found a way to break Osaka's serve once again."

The aftermath of Fissette's betrayal inevitably took center stage following Zheng's victory. During an earlier press conference, Zheng expressed her anger and frustration towards the situation. "He broke the contract. It's incredibly immoral. I understand his decision, but my family and I are deeply hurt. Right now, I don't want to discuss this person," the 21-year-old vented.  

But on Monday, when asked if facing Osaka, who had Fissette on her team, fired her up, Zheng responded with a touch of diplomacy, "If you had asked me this a few months ago, immediately after the break, one month, two months, three months, four months, absolutely. I got very fired up. I want to kill my opponent. I want to put my frustration out. But after many months, six to seven months already, I treat her like my usual opponent."

Zheng, wise as she is, understands the futility of dwelling on the past. Since breaking up with Fissette, she has experienced a soaring ascent. By rekindling her partnership with her former coach Pere Riba, she has achieved remarkable milestones in her career. 

Notably, Zheng made her way to her first Grand Slam final at the Australian Open in January and broke into the illustrious realm of the world's top 10 rankings for the very first time. Sometimes, good things fall apart so that better things can fall into place.