China’s Qinwen Zheng kept her remarkable WTA Finals debut, defeating Czech eighth seed Barbora Krejcikova 6-3, 7-5 in Friday’s semi-final in Riyadh. The Olympic gold medallist was dogged and powerful to reach the final.
The confident 22-year-old Zheng went into an early break for 3-0 against Krejcikova’s serve. At 5-2 down, Krejcikova saved three set points, but Zheng bounced back, winning the next to love and wrapping up the first set with assurance.
Zheng extended her good run of form at the start of the second set, once more racing into a 3-0 lead thanks to two breaks. Yet Krejcikova continued to battle hard and won four games in succession to draw level at 4-4. Through the next three games, the players held serve to leave the set deadlocked at 5-5. But Zheng found the important break and with it a 6-5 advantage and an opportunity to serve for the match. Krejcikova saved one match point but Zheng toughed it out to win.
Seventh-seeded Zheng advances to the final against either world number one Aryna Sabalenka or American sensation Coco Gauff-whoever wins the other semi-final-what promises to be a very exciting championship.
