China’s rising tennis star Zheng Qinwen delivered an exceptional performance at the WTA 500 Berlin Open on Tuesday, defeating former world number one Naomi Osaka of Japan in a thrilling first-round match.
In a match that lasted 130 minutes, the world number eight Zheng triumphed over Osaka with a score of 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Showcasing her powerful serve, Zheng hit a season-high 23 aces, surpassing the previous season record of 19 aces set by Karolina Pliskova against Anna Kalinskaya in Doha.
“I’ve played against her already on all different surfaces—hard, clay, and now grass court,” Zheng said in her on-court interview. “She’s a tough opponent in the first round. I’m happy that I gave my best today and got my first win at this tournament in three years.”
Zheng’s victory marks her second win over Osaka this season, having previously defeated the Japanese player on clay at the WTA Italian Open in Rome last month. The latest win improves Zheng’s head-to-head record against Osaka to 2-1.
Reflecting on her performance on grass courts, Zheng added, “The last two years, when I came on grass, I was a little bit lost.”
With this victory, Zheng advances to the next round of the Berlin Open, signaling her growing prominence on the international tennis stage and her potential to make significant strides in upcoming tournaments.
Reference(s):
China's Zheng Qinwen beats former world No. 1 Osaka at Berlin Open
cgtn.com
