Zheng Qinwen of China hits a shot against Wang Xinyu of China in the women's singles semifinals at the Wuhan Open in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, October 12, 2024. /CFP
Zheng Qinwen of China defeated compatriot Wang Xinyu 6-3, 6-4 in the women's singles semifinals at the Wuhan Open in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, on Saturday, advancing to face Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus for the title.
Zheng and Wang made history when they both reached the last four at this tournament, becoming the first two home players to achieve the feat. Both competitors broke each other once in their first three service games as the first set reached 3-3. The Paris Olympic gold medalist then held in the seventh game, served out a love game in the eighth and managed to hold again to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
The second set was an open battle as the two opponents converted a total of five break points. Zheng did so in the first, seventh and ninth games, while Wang returned the favor in the second and eighth. Zheng's consistency became her biggest advantage and she wrapped things up with an ace to end the match.
Wang Xinyu of China serves against Zheng Qinwen of China in the women's singles semifinals at the Wuhan Open in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, October 12, 2024. /CFP
"It was a tough match for me," Zheng told reporters. "I wasn't in my usual good form. I was playing a Chinese player like myself. Wang Xinyu performed very well. We both wanted to win so badly and worked hard for it. It felt good when the crowd was cheering for both players. Usually they only do that for one of us when we play against foreign opponents. It took me some time to get used to it, but I'm happy to reach the Wuhan Open final."
The title match will mark Zheng's fourth meeting with Sabalenka, who won all of their three previous matches. The home favorite vowed to go into the contest with a calm mind and see what happens.
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus hits a shot against Coco Gauff of the USA in the women's singles semifinals at the Wuhan Open in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, October 12, 2024. /CFP
Sabalenka came back to beat Coco Gauff of the USA 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the other semifinal match. After quickly dropping the first set, the Belarusian bounced back in the second and broke Gauff twice in the eighth and 10th games to level the contest at 1-1.
Sabalenka jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third set after converting a break point in the second game, and saved three to hold serve in the third.
Gauff rallied in the seventh and eighth games to leave things all-square at 4-4, but surrendered another break in the 10th game and lost the match.
Sabalenka extended her winning streak at the tournament to 16 matches, and will be seeking her third consecutive Wuhan Open title in her 10th Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour 1000-level final.