Zheng Qinwen Advances to French Open Quarterfinals in Thrilling Showdown

In a historic achievement, Zheng Qinwen, often referred to as China's "golden flower," has advanced to the quarterfinals of the women's singles at the French Open for the first time in her career. The eighth seed is set to face Aryna Sabalenka, the world’s top-ranked player, in what will be their eighth matchup. Sabalenka leads their previous encounters with an impressive 7-1 record; however, Zheng recently secured her first win against Sabalenka at the WTA Italian Open.

Zheng expressed her feelings about the upcoming match, stating that she feels more at ease playing on clay than Sabalenka does. Recognizing Sabalenka as a formidable opponent, she emphasized her determination to fight until the last point. In contrast, Sabalenka acknowledged the challenge Zheng presents and spoke about her desire for revenge after her earlier defeat, admitting she was fatigued during their last encounter.

Former Chinese Tennis Association coach Pan Shouhu shared his insights on the matchup, noting that while Zheng has a challenging head-to-head history against Sabalenka, her recent win in Rome suggests she is finding her footing. He remarked that Sabalenka's focus on "revenge" indicates the seriousness of the competition, yet if Zheng manages her rhythm effectively, she could upset the odds.

During her fourth-round match against Liudmila Samsonova, Zheng demonstrated resilience and composure, navigating a tough three-set battle to level their head-to-head encounters at 3-3. Initially engaged in a tightly contested duel, Zheng clinched a critical break in the third set, allowing her to maintain control and eventually win the match with a score of 6-3. Zheng delivered a remarkable performance with ten aces during the match, showcasing her ability to pressure her opponent while expressing confidence in her energy reserves despite the grueling nature of the encounter.

After her victory, Zheng reflected on the challenging match and shared motivational lyrics on her social media, encouraging others to pursue their dreams without fear of hardship. The match coincided with International Children's Day, adding a meaningful touch to her victory. Pan praised Zheng's ability to adapt to Samsonova’s powerful style and noted her mental maturity, which played a significant role in securing her well-deserved win.