China's rising tennis star Zheng Qinwen saw her Charleston Open run end on Friday after a 6-1, 6-4 loss to Russia's ninth-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova in the quarterfinals. The match marked Zheng's third consecutive defeat against the world No. 15, highlighting the challenge of breaking through against top-tier opponents.
Alexandrova dominated early, racing to a 5-0 lead in the first set with precise baseline aggression before clinching the opener in 35 minutes. While Zheng showed resilience in the second set, saving two match points at 5-3, her struggles with consistency proved decisive. A medical timeout for her right elbow during the second set failed to shift momentum, with Zheng trailing in key statistics including first-serve accuracy (59% vs. 79%) and break points converted (0/3).
For Alexandrova, the victory sets up a semifinal clash against American top seed Jessica Pegula. Meanwhile, Zheng's exit leaves fans reflecting on the 21-year-old's progress since her 2022 WTA breakthrough, particularly her adaptability to clay courts ahead of upcoming European tournaments.
