Swiatek and Zheng advance to China Open last 16 in three-set matches
- Former world number one Iga Swiatek and home favorite Zheng Qinwen both advanced to the last 16 of the China Open on Monday, with both players requiring three...
- Swiatek, 25, defeated Croatia's Donna Vekic 4-6, 7-6 (7/0), 6-2.
- Reflecting on her performance on court, Swiatek admitted, I was just angry, wanted to change something, because clearly it wasn’t working, and later told reporters that sometimes if...
Former world number one Iga Swiatek and home favorite Zheng Qinwen both advanced to the last 16 of the China Open on Monday, with both players requiring three sets to secure their victories in Beijing.
Swiatek, 25, defeated Croatia’s Donna Vekic 4-6, 7-6 (7/0), 6-2. The Polish player struggled with frustration during the match but managed to stay in contention while Vekic served for a set, eventually dominating a critical tie-break to complete her comeback.
Swiatek and Zheng Advance to Next Round
Reflecting on her performance on court, Swiatek admitted, I was just angry, wanted to change something, because clearly it wasn’t working,
and later told reporters that sometimes if you care a bit less because you’re… probably going to lose, it also helps you a bit.
Swiatek is scheduled to play American teenager Iva Jovic in the next round for a place in the quarter-finals.
Zheng Qinwen, currently ranked world number 54, defeated Czech player Marie Bouzkova 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-5. This marked Zheng’s third three-set match of the tournament, following more than five hours spent on court during the first two rounds. The 23-year-old won the match after 27th-ranked Bouzkova hit a long shot in the final game.
Zheng Feels Pressure from Crowd Distractions
Zheng expressed frustration throughout the match regarding movement outside the court, which distracted her while attempting to save the second set. Addressing the home crowd, she said, Truthfully speaking, I felt a lot of pressure today.
She thanked the fans for their support but noted, Sometimes I’m a bit screaming in Chinese, because I really see you guys are moving, but next match I hope I will be better on this.
Zheng will next face Alina Charaeva, ranked 118th, who previously eliminated top seed Elena Rybakina. Other results in the women’s draw include Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova advancing to face Ekaterina Alexandrova, while Coco Gauff was slated to play 16-year-old Sun Xinran on Monday.