Zheng, Andreeva, Mertens and Bartunkova reach Beijing semifinals
- The unusual final four in Beijing consists of one wild card, three contenders seeking their first career WTA 1000 title, and an unseeded 20-year-old Czech rising star.
- Home favorite Zheng Qinwen advanced to the semifinals by defeating sixth-seeded Elina Svitolina in straight sets.
- That decision yielded immediate results as she reached the quarterfinals at the US Open through qualifying and has now advanced to the semifinals in Beijing as a wild...
Recovery is key.
Eat, sleep and repeat the same.
Yeah, just focus on the singles first.
The unusual final four in Beijing consists of one wild card, three contenders seeking their first career WTA 1000 title, and an unseeded 20-year-old Czech rising star.
Zheng Qinwen Faces Elise Mertens in Beijing Semifinals
Home favorite Zheng Qinwen advanced to the semifinals by defeating sixth-seeded Elina Svitolina in straight sets. Zheng earned an early break to set the tone and maintained her composure through a tight second-set tiebreak to secure the win. The victory follows a strategic training block in Florida during August, where Zheng skipped the tournament in Cincinnati to prepare for the final stretch of the season.
That decision yielded immediate results as she reached the quarterfinals at the US Open through qualifying and has now advanced to the semifinals in Beijing as a wild card. Her opponent on the other side of the net, 13th-seeded Elise Mertens, advanced past Iga Swiatek 7-6 (0), 6-3 on Friday by winning 87 percent of her first-serve points. Mertens and Zheng have played once before in professional competition, meeting in Charleston last year where Zheng claimed a three-set victory.
Mirra Andreeva Meets Nikola Bartunkova for a Spot in the Final
The second semifinal pits Mirra Andreeva against Nikola Bartunkova in a matchup of young players. Bartunkova advanced to her first career WTA 1000 semifinal by defeating compatriot Karolina Muchova 6-3, 6-0 in just 67 minutes on Thursday. The 20-year-old Czech player secured her spot in the final four after previously eliminating World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka earlier in the tournament.
Andreeva reached the semifinals after surviving a tough quarterfinal against Ekaterina Alexandrova, winning 5 of the final 6 points in a second-set tiebreak. The 19-year-old French Open champion previously defeated Bartunkova in straight sets at the US Open. Even though I won [at the] US Open, I still felt like the match was tough,
Andreeva told reporters. A lot of up and downs. I think this match is going to be very entertaining for people to watch. She's an amazing player. I'm super excited to play her again.