Number 3 seed Zheng Qinwen of China showcased her dominance in a compelling second-round match at the Credit One Charleston Open on Wednesday evening. She triumphed over Maria Sakkari of Greece with a score of 6-4, 6-1, advancing to the Round of 16.
In her first appearance in Charleston since her debut in 2022, reigning Olympic gold medalist Zheng spent 1 hour and 32 minutes overcoming former World No. 3 Sakkari, who reached the semifinals in Charleston the previous year.
Zheng commented in her on-court interview about adapting to clay courts, stating, “I [knew] when I have to attack, when I have to defend, because everybody here is going to make the transition from hard to clay. I believe whoever makes that transition better here can win the tournament.”
Here are some key points from the match:
Zheng Extends Clay-Court Dominance: While Sakkari held a 2-1 advantage in their head-to-head record against Zheng, all previous matches were played on hard courts.
Clay courts present a different dynamic. Zheng`s most recent clay court event was her remarkable gold medal victory at the 2024 Paris Olympics, held at the prestigious Roland Garros clay courts.
Zheng carried her clay-court confidence into this match, now boasting a 12-match winning streak on this surface. This streak includes her title defense at Palermo prior to her Olympic success.
Conversely, Sakkari`s ranking has declined from No. 7 to No. 64 in the past year, and her record for the year stands at 6 wins and 11 losses. Sakkari was seeking her first Top 10 victory in over a year but has now lost all eight matches against Top 10 players since defeating Coco Gauff at the 2024 Indian Wells.
Powerful Shots Propel Zheng: Zheng`s playing style is well-suited to clay courts, where her powerful, deep forehands control the game. She utilized this strength to navigate a lengthy 3-3 game and secure the crucial break in the first set.
As the ace leader on the Hologic WTA Tour last year, Zheng`s first serve remains a significant weapon, especially on clay. She unleashed a powerful serve to save a break point while consolidating her lead to 5-3, ultimately securing the first set.
Zheng`s first serve continued to be effective in the second set. It proved decisive when landed in play – Zheng won an impressive 87.5 percent of her first-serve points. However, her second serve was more vulnerable, winning only one-third of those points.
Despite this, Zheng`s effective first serves were sufficient to secure victory without being broken. She successfully saved both break points she faced. Fittingly, her final shot was a forceful forehand, forcing an error and clinching match point.
First Encounter Awaits: Zheng`s next challenge will be in the Round of 16 against No. 13 seed Elise Mertens of Belgium. In the concluding match on Credit One Stadium on Wednesday, Mertens defeated Varvara Gracheva of France 6-3, 7-5.
Zheng is set for a new matchup as she has never previously competed against former Top 15 player Mertens.
Rupert Caldwell