China’s top-ranked tennis player, Zheng Qinwen, achieved her first-ever Grand Slam semifinal after staging a remarkable comeback against Anna Kalinskaya at the Australian Open.
Zheng secured a victory with a scoreline of 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-1 during a tense night session quarterfinal at Rod Laver Arena.
In the upcoming semifinals, the 21-year-old Zheng is anticipated to be the favorite against Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska. Yastremska advanced by defeating Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-4 in a match lasting 78 minutes.
Reflecting on her triumph, Zheng expressed her satisfaction, stating, “I told myself to stay focused. I’m really happy to be in the semifinals.”
Despite initial challenges in the first set against Kalinskaya, Zheng showcased composure and determination, securing a pivotal break in the second set to draw level.
Her confident play continued in the deciding set, making her the sole seeded player left in her half of the draw for the quarterfinals.
As the 12th seed, Zheng’s performance in this Australian Open builds on her success in the previous season, which included two titles and a notable run to the quarterfinals at the US Open.
Her journey positions her as a contender to follow in the footsteps of her hero Li Na, who achieved victory at the Australian Open a decade ago.
