By Alberto Amalfi | @Tennis_Now | Saturday, September 28, 2024
Zheng Qinwen thrilled home fans and Jaqueline Cristian fought off four match points toppling Wimbledon winner Barbora Krejcikova in Beijing.
Photo credit: Fred Lee/Getty
China's Olympic Queen received a heroic homecoming at China Open.
Olympic gold-medal champion Zheng Qinwen played inspired tennis after an "insane" reception from home fans blasting by Kamilla Rakhimova 6-1, 6-1 to earn her first career Beijing win.
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Fans gave Zheng, the first Chinese player to win an Olympic tennis gold medal in singles, a rousing reception as she stepped on court.
The victory vaults Zheng into a third round clash vs. Nadia Podoroska, who was a 7-5, 6-7, 6-2 victor over 25th-seeded Dayana Yastremska.
The fifth-seeded Zheng won 28 of 33 points played on her serve, including 13 of 15 first-serve points in a rousing 75-minute victory.
"Atmosphere was insane," Zhang told the media in Beijing. "I never thought it will be so full in the center court... They just did everything for me.
"Honestly when I played last year in China Open, I remember it wasn't that full. Today I see there's nearly no empty seat."
Earlier, US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka continued her winning ways.
The top-seeded Sabalenka broke serve four times dismissing world No. 187 Mananchaya Sawangkaew 6-4, 6-1.
Sabalenka breezed through eight of the last nine games scoring her 13th consecutive victory.
The reigning Australian and US Open champion Sabalenka will play American Ashlyn Krueger next.
Krueger defeated Wimbledon break-out star Lulu Sun 6-1, 7-6(4).
Romanian Jaqueline Cristian fought off four match points stunning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova 1-6, 6-4, 7-5.
Cristian won 23 of 37 points played on Krejcikova's second serve and broke serve six times in a two hour, 51-minute victory.
The Romanian trailed 1-4 in the final set then fought off four match points serving at 4-5 before leveling the set.Cristian converted her fourth break point, breaking for 6-5 then served out the comeback on her first match point.
World No. 80 Cristian beat Krejcikova for the second time this season following her three-set win in Madrid. Cristian will play another Czech, Karolina Muchova, in the round of 16.
Roland Garros and Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini rallied past Clara Tauson 1-6, 7-5, 6-4. Paolini will play Magda Linette next.