Zheng Qinwen Advances to WTA Finals Semifinals

Qinwen Zheng secured her place in the semi-finals of the WTA Finals in Riyadh with an emphatic 6-1, 6-1 victory over Italian Jasmine Paolini, marking her debut in the prestigious tournament. This decisive match determined the second semi-finalist from the Purple Group, where both players had previously lost to world number one Aryna Sabalenka. Zheng, the seventh seed, dominated the match with 12 aces and 27 winners, illustrating her powerful game as she controlled the court with 77% of her first serve points won. This victory makes her the youngest semi-finalist since Petra Kvitova in 2011 and only the second Chinese woman to reach this stage after Li Na. In other matches, Elena Rybakina concluded her campaign with a victory over Sabalenka, while Iga Swiatek faces a must-win situation in her final group match against Daria Kasatkina.