New shoes put spring in Zheng's step at Queen's Club
Top seed Zheng Qinwen has beaten home favourite Emma Raducanu 6-2 6-4 to move into the semi-finals at the Queen's Club Championships while 37-year-old veteran Tatjana Maria upset 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina to reach the last four.
In an entertaining battle at the Andy Murray Arena on Friday, Olympic champ Zheng showed why she could be a real contender heading into Wimbledon as she marched into her first semi-final on grass.
Zheng has won singles titles on clay and hardcourts but she is still adapting to grass, with the 22-year-old showing a marked improvement in her match with Raducanu after she changed her shoes midway through a game when the Briton was serving.
"I want to apologise for my shoes. I didn't want to fall two times, but I just don't know how to run on grass," Zheng said sheepishly.
"I still don't know when I have to change the grass shoes. I think right now is the time, so it's the new shoes. I feel much better to run.
"It was a really difficult match for me, especially because she has got more experience than me on the grass court. I'm just really happy to get into the semi-final for the first time on grass."
Germany's Maria, who came through the qualifiers and also knocked out sixth seed Karolina Muchova in the last-16, stunned former Wimbledon champ Rybakina 6-4 7-6 (7-4) to move into a WTA semi-final for the first time in two years.
A mother of two whose eldest daughter is 11 and travels with her on tour, Maria is ranked No.86 in the world.
"Oh my God, it means so much to me. It's a perfect example to never give up and to always keep going, doesn't matter what, because I'm still here and I'm living this dream," said Maria, a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2022.
"I have my family with me, an amazing team. So much support and so much love, and we are really enjoying the ride together.
"I'm super, super proud to be in the semi-final and I hope in a few years you will see my daughter in the same stage here!"
Maria will face second seed, Australian Open champ Madison Keys, who battled back from a set down to beat Diana Shnaider 2-6 6-3 6-4.
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