Home favorite Zheng Qinwen booked her place in the last 16 of the Wuhan Open following a straight-sets victory over wild card Jaqueline Cristian on Wednesday.
The fifth-seeded Zheng, a semi-finalist in Beijing last week, showcased her dominant form as she overcame an early deficit. After trailing 2-1 in the opening set, Zheng surged ahead by winning three consecutive games to take control at 4-2. The Chinese star continued her momentum with a powerful forehand winner and sealed the first set 6-2 with an ace.
Cristian, who had moments of brilliance, managed to break Zheng to lead 3-1 in the second set. However, Zheng quickly responded, breaking the Belgian back to narrow the gap to 3-2 with a deft backhand drop shot.
The 22-year-old dominated five of the next six games, completing a 6-2, 6-4 victory in an hour and 42 minutes. Zheng, the Paris Olympics champion, will next face unseeded Leylah Fernandez for a place in the quarterfinals. The local favorite continues to delight home fans with her impressive performance.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
