China Open: Olympic champ Zheng Qinwen to channel energy of home fans in title bid
‘Queen Wen’ is drawn to meet nemesis Aryna Sabalenka in the semis of an event the Chinese star has been looking forward to
Paris Olympics champion Zheng Qinwen is on a collision course with nemesis Aryna Sabalenka at the China Open, and said she hoped to use the fervent support of her home crowd to propel her to a first title in Beijing.
Sabalenka has denied the world No 7 twice in grand slams so far this year – in the Australian Open final and the quarter-finals of the US Open – and both are in the same side of the draw for the prestigious WTA 1000 tournament, which starts on Wednesday.
However, the pair have been separated to the extent that any clash would happen only in the semi-finals, with Zheng seeded fifth in a field that has the likes of Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, Emma Navarro and Hong Kong Open champion Leylah Fernandez on the other side of the draw.
Zheng had been expected to start her tournament against Emma Raducanu in the second round, but a foot injury has forced the Englishwoman to withdraw, and China’s only singles tennis gold medallist said she was not looking beyond her opening game in round two on Friday against either Kimberly Birrell of Australia or Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova.
“This is too early to think about it,” Zheng said when asked about the possibility of playing Sabalenka again. “Before the semi-finals, there are so many matches.
“As a top player, as a good player, I want to focus on my next match … If I’m in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, ask me this question again.”
Given her hectic year, the 21-year-old could be forgiven for tiring as the year draws to a close, but Zheng said the “sense of responsibility” she now felt added an extra level of motivation.
