Zheng Qinwen of China has secured her place in the final of the Palermo Ladies Open after defeating France’s Diane Parry 7-5, 6-4 in a thrilling semifinal match on Saturday. The clay courts on the island of Sicily witnessed Zheng’s steady ascent as she clinched her fourth consecutive straight-set victory in the tournament.
The opening set was a tightly contested battle, with both players holding their serves to reach a 4-4 stalemate. Zheng made the first breakthrough by breaking Parry’s serve in the ninth game. However, Parry immediately responded with a break of her own to level the score once more. Undeterred, Zheng secured another crucial break and confidently held her serve to claim the first set.
In the second set, Zheng established an early 3-1 lead, showcasing her powerful groundstrokes and tactical prowess. She maintained her advantage with a composed performance, ultimately sealing the match without dropping a set throughout the tournament.
Zheng’s opponent in Sunday’s final will be Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic. This match marks the sixth Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour title match in Zheng’s burgeoning career and her second this year, following her advancement to the Australian Open final in January. Zheng has previously lifted two WTA Tour trophies, including a victory at the Palermo Open in 2023, where she defeated Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-4, 1-6, 6-1 in the final.
The upcoming final will be a rematch for Zheng and Muchova, who last faced each other at the Madrid Open in April 2022. In that encounter, Zheng was narrowly defeated 1-6, 6-3, 6-4. Tennis enthusiasts around the world will be keenly watching to see if Zheng can leverage her current form to triumph over Muchova and add another title to her record.
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Zheng Qinwen reaches Palermo Open final to face Karolina Muchova
cgtn.com
