Australian Open, Zheng Qinwen in semifinals

Australian Open, Zheng Qinwen in semifinals

In the final quarterfinal of the women’s singles at the Australian Open, China’s Zheng Qinwen, world number 15, who had already finished in the top eight at last year’s US Open, beat Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya, number 75, with a score of 6-7 6-3 6-1 and qualified for the semifinals, where she will meet Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska.

Two breaks immediately in the opening two games, and then two more in the fifth and sixth. In the seventh the Chinese has two more break points but the Russian saves herself with four points in a row. The two tennis players hold serve without any more problems until the tie-break, in which Zheng goes 3-1 but then Kalinskaya inflicts a 6-1 break on her, winning it 7-4 and consequently taking home the first set.

In the second no break ball until 4-3 Zheng when è it was the Chinese who took advantage of the only chance in the entire partial and then held her subsequent serve at 15 extending the match. Zheng makes a first break in the third game, then another in the fifth and punctually Kalinskaya goes to medical timeout for a right leg problem.

But it was no use, Zheng, despite the loss of rhythm due to the break won the last two games completing a 9-1 final partial and after two hours and 28 minutes of play became the first Chinese in a Slam semifinal since Shuai Peng at the 2014 US Open. In addition, next Monday she will enter the world’s top 10 for the first time.