Zheng Beats Sabalenka, Sets Rome Semifinal vs. Gauff

(The Post News)– Aryna Sabalenka’s Rome run came to a sudden halt on Tuesday night as eighth-seeded Zheng Qinwen sent the world No. 1 packing with a 6-4, 6-3 quarterfinal victory at the Italian Open.

Fresh off her Madrid Open triumph, Sabalenka struggled to find her usual clay-court rhythm. Zheng, on the other hand, delivered a calm and composed performance, finally toppling the Belarusian after six previous losses.

After fending off early pressure, Zheng secured a vital break at 3-2 in the opening set and never looked back. She struck again early in the second, breaking Sabalenka’s serve in the very first game. While Sabalenka battled hard to hold serve in the fifth and seventh games, she couldn’t crack Zheng’s rhythm, with the Chinese star closing it out in straight sets.

Speaking after the match, Zheng said it had been a while since she’d made it to a semifinal, and the road hadn’t been smooth. She pointed to earlier struggles with a troublesome arm injury but added that she now feels physically strong and focused on improving her game with every outing.

Her next opponent is none other than Coco Gauff, who earlier secured her place in a third Rome semifinal with a 6-4, 7-6(5) win over Mirra Andreeva. The American, seeded fourth, battled through a tight second set and a tense tiebreak but ultimately proved too solid for the 18-year-old.