Chinese tennis star Zheng Qinwen made a commanding start at the WTA Charleston Open on Wednesday, defeating Greece's Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-1 to extend her clay-court winning streak to 12 matches. The 22-year-old, who clinched gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Roland Garros' clay courts, showcased her adaptability on the surface against the former World No. 3.
Zheng now holds an even 2-2 record against Sakkari, building momentum since defending her Palermo title last year. Her next challenge comes against Belgium's Elise Mertens, the tournament's No. 13 seed, in the round of 16.
In other matches, Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva ended a four-match slump by overcoming Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai. The No. 10 seed now holds seven consecutive victories against Zhang dating back to 2020.
