Zheng Qinwen stormed into the semi-finals of the WTA Finals in Riyadh, securing a victory over Jasmine Paolini. The match was a decisive battle for second place in the purple group, trailing behind Aryna Sabalenka.
Both Zheng and Paolini had previously lost to the world number one and defeated Elena Rybakina. However, the contest was short-lived, lasting only 67 minutes, as Chinese debutant Zheng swiftly claimed a 6-1 6-1 win.
Paolini, who was a runner-up at both the French Open and Wimbledon this summer, struggled against her opponent’s power, with Zheng hitting 27 winners, including 11 aces. Zheng is now set to face the winner of the orange group in Friday’s semi-finals.
Later, Rybakina concluded her campaign with a 6-4 3-6 6-1 victory over Sabalenka in a match that had no bearing on the final standings due to both players already knowing their respective outcomes. In her first tournament since withdrawing from the US Open due to a back injury, Rybakina delivered a solid performance, dominating the final set without facing a break point.
Sabalenka will now go head-to-head with the number two qualifier from the orange group in Friday’s semi-finals.
