Chinese tennis duo Zheng Saisai and Wang Xinyu delivered a stunning performance at the Australian Open on Sunday, defeating the 11th-seeded pair of Veronika Kudermetova from Russia and Ena Shibahara from Japan in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5, to advance to the women’s doubles round of 16.
From the outset, Zheng and Wang showcased remarkable synergy and dominance, quickly seizing control of the match. In the first set, they twice secured runs of three consecutive games, wrapping up the set in just 30 minutes. The Chinese pair commanded the court, winning 28 points to their opponents’ 15 and impressively conceding only four points on their own serve.
Facing a resilient comeback from Kudermetova and Shibahara in the second set, Zheng and Wang remained composed. The 11th seeds surged ahead with a 3-0 lead, including an arduous third game that extended to deuce five times. Undeterred, Zheng held her serve firmly to put the Chinese duo on the scoreboard at 3-1. They then broke Kudermetova’s serve to love and leveled the set at 3-3 after a challenging hold from Wang.
The tension escalated as Kudermetova and Shibahara led 5-4 and held two set points against Wang’s serve. Demonstrating remarkable resilience, the Chinese pair saved both set points. Capitalizing on this momentum, they secured a critical break against Shibahara’s serve to lead 6-5.
Zheng and Wang needed just one match point in the following game to clinch the victory, sealing their spot in the round of 16. The duo’s ability to remain focused under pressure was evident throughout the match.
Reflecting on their performance, Wang said, “We got off to a good start in this match, which was quite a surprise for us, as in our previous matches, we struggled a little bit before getting smoother. The second set was tight, as we were broken first, but we did not panic, and focused on the strategy we had planned, and played calmly with decisive action.”
The impressive win by Zheng and Wang highlights the rising talent in Chinese tennis and sets a hopeful tone for their journey ahead in the tournament.
Reference(s):
China's Zheng/Wang beat women's doubles 11th seeds at Australian Open
cgtn.com
