China’s tennis sensation Zheng Qinwen was eliminated from the French Open after a hard-fought three-set match against Russia’s Elina Avanesyan in the third round on Saturday. Despite a valiant effort, Zheng fell 6-3, 3-6, 6-7(6) in a rain-interrupted encounter at Roland Garros.
The 21-year-old Zheng started strong, securing the first set 6-3 with a crucial break against Avanesyan, ranked world No. 70. She continued her momentum by breaking early in the second set. However, Avanesyan, who has been on an impressive run against top-ranked players, leveled the match by taking the second set 6-3 before play was halted due to rain.
In the deciding set, Zheng found herself trailing 2-5 but showcased remarkable resilience by winning four consecutive games to take a 6-5 lead. Avanesyan managed to hold her serve, pushing the set into a tiebreak. The Russian ultimately prevailed in the 10-point breaker, winning 10-6 to advance to the round of 16 for the second consecutive year.
Zheng, who has been steadily climbing the ranks in women’s tennis, reached the fourth round in her French Open debut two years ago. Despite the loss, her performance continues to inspire fans and underscores her potential in future Grand Slam tournaments.
Elina Avanesyan will face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in the next round, after Paolini’s victory over Canada’s Bianca Andreescu with a score of 6-1, 3-6, 6-0.
Reference(s):
China's Zheng falls to Avnesyan in rain-hit French Open 3rd round
cgtn.com
