Zheng extends dream WTA Finals debut by thrashing Paolini to reach last four

Zheng extends dream WTA Finals debut by thrashing Paolini to reach last four

China’s Zheng Qinwen reached the semi-finals of the WTA Finals in Riyadh after claiming an impressive 6-1, 6-1 win over Italian fourth seed Jasmine Paolini. In her WTA Finals debut, the 22-year-old became the youngest player to reach the semi-finals since Petra Kvitova in 2011.

The seventh seed fired 12 aces in a dominant performance, recording her 30th win from 34 matches since Wimbledon. “It’s one of the best performances I had during this year,” she said on court. “Really good percentage of first serves. I enjoyed a lot tonight to play here.”

Zheng won 77% of her first-serve points as she became the second Chinese woman to reach the last four of the WTA Finals after Li Na. “[This was] almost 11 years ago. I’m proud I could make it,” Zheng said. “I didn’t know what would happen when I came here because it’s my first time. I just told myself to enjoy. Especially because I’m in a really difficult group.”

The Paris Olympic champion finished second in the purple round-robin group behind top seed Aryna Sabalenka.

World No 2 Iga Swiatek will play Daria Kasatkina on Thursday in her must-win match to stay in the hunt for a spot in the WTA Finals semi-finals after Jessica Pegula withdrew from the tournament with a knee injury. The sixth-seeded American pulled out, the WTA said on Wednesday, after a 6-3, 6-3 defeat by the Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova on Tuesday ended her chances of qualifying for the last four.

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Pegula has been replaced by first alternate and world No 9 Kasatkina, who will face Swiatek in her final match in the orange group. The Pole will look to rebound from her 6-3, 6-4 loss to Coco Gauff and also needs the already-qualified American to beat Krejcikova to advance.