Top-seeded Sabalenka beats Zheng to reach French Open semifinal
World number one Aryna Sabalenka has recovered from a slow start to systematically dismantle Paris Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in a 7-6 (3), 6-3 victory that has sent her into the French Open semifinals.
Sabalenka suffered her first loss to Zheng in seven career meetings in the Rome quarterfinals last month, and the Belarusian went behind early on Tuesday in the opening set at a half-full Court Philippe-Chatrier.
'It was a true battle, and I had no idea how I could break her back and get back into the first set. I didn't start well, and I'm glad I found my rhythm and won,' said Sabalenka, who took a step closer to a maiden French Open title.
'I think we're all here for one reason. Everyone wants that beautiful trophy. I'm glad I have another opportunity, another semifinal to do better than last time.
'I really hope that by the end of the clay court season, I'm really proud of myself.'
China's Zheng, bidding to emulate compatriot Li Na's 2011 triumph at Roland Garros, crushed a powerful forehand winner to break for a 2-1 lead, but Sabalenka moved through the gears to level five games later and was denied on set point while up 6-5.
The 27-year-old top seed shrugged off the disappointment to glide through the tie-break when errors crept into eighth seed Zheng's game before the players swapped breaks in a high-octane second set.
A huge forehand winner put Sabalenka 5-3 up, and the three-time Grand Slam champion never looked back as she set up a last-four meeting with either 13th seed Elina Svitolina or four-time champion Iga Swiatek.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Jazeera
40 minutes ago
- Al Jazeera
‘Premeditated genocide': Brazil's Lula slams Israel over Gaza war
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva accused Israel of carrying out 'premeditated genocide' in Gaza during a visit to Paris, as it emerged the military had killed at least 52 people in its latest onslaught in the besieged coastal enclave where a crippling blockade is fuelling starvation. 'What is happening in Gaza is not a war. It's a genocide being carried out by a highly prepared army against women and children,' said Lula at a joint news conference in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday. '[It is] a premeditated genocide from a far-right government that is waging a war, including against the interests of its own people,' he said of Israel's 20-month offensive, which has killed at least 54,607 Palestinians so far, according to the enclave's Health Ministry. At least 52 people were killed on Thursday, including women and children, according to medical sources, who spoke to Al Jazeera, amid growing concern about deadly incidents at aid distribution sites run by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation since last week. While Lula has previously used the term 'genocide' to characterise Israel's actions in Gaza, Macron has reserved judgement, saying last month that it was not for a 'political leader to use the term, but up to historians to do so when the time comes'. The Brazilian leader's condemnation of Israel's offensive came as German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told his visiting Israeli counterpart, Gideon Saar, to allow more humanitarian aid into the enclave in accordance with 'prevailing international law'. Last week, Wadephul had said Germany was assessing 'whether what is happening in Gaza is in line with international law' and that arms sales to Israel would be evaluated on this basis. Wadephul also said he was 'concerned about the extremely tense situation in the West Bank', decrying the Israeli government's announcement that it would allow 22 more settlements in the occupied territory, saying it threatened the two-state solution further. On Thursday, King Abdullah of Jordan praised Spain for recognising Palestine and calling for an end to the war in Gaza during a meeting with King Felipe in Madrid. He said work was underway to gain European support. Jordan's state news agency Petra cited him as saying work was under way to harness European support for an Arab plan to rebuild Gaza without displacing its residents, as threatened by US President Donald Trump this year.
Al Jazeera
17 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
Djokovic downs Zverev to set up French Open semifinal against Sinner
A crucial moment arrived more than two and a half hours into Novak Djokovic's French Open quarterfinal victory over Alexander Zverev. It was the fourth set, and Djokovic led, but Zverev was in possession of a break point and a chance to get back into the match. They engaged in a 41-stroke exchange, the longest of a buggy and breezy Wednesday night, and Djokovic came out on top, smacking a forehand winner. He stayed in place afterwards, breathing heavily, with hands on his hips, scanning the standing ovation from thousands of Court Philippe-Chatrier spectators. Djokovic might be 38 now. He might have slogged through a pair of three-match losing skids this season and slid to sixth in the rankings. What has not changed is Djokovic's determination or his ability to be his best on big stages — and now he is two wins from a record 25th Grand Slam title. Djokovic proved too much for third seed Zverev, a man who's a decade younger and was last year's runner-up at Roland-Garros, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 to set up a semifinal showdown against top-seeded Jannik Sinner. Earlier on Wednesday, Sinner continued his overpowering run through the bracket by dismissing Alexander Bublik 6-1, 7-5, 6-0. Sinner has not only not dropped a set so far, but he has ceded a total of only 36 games through five matches. So Friday will bring a tantalising showdown between the player many consider the top player in tennis history, Djokovic, and the player who is at the top of the men's game at the moment, Sinner. Djokovic and Sinner are tied 4-4 in their head-to-head series, but Sinner has won the last three matchups. No one has spent more weeks at number one in the rankings than Djokovic. No one has won more major championships or reached more major semifinals than his total that now stands at 51 after becoming the second-oldest man to get that far in Paris. Sinner, 23, is a three-time Grand Slam champion. That includes last year's US Open and this year's Australian Open, so his unbeaten streak at majors is now at 19 matches. He's also won his last 26 sets at those events. 'He's playing fast. He's playing smart,' Bublik said. 'He's in another dimension with all the aspects of the game.'
Al Jazeera
19 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
French Open: Djokovic downs Zverev to set up semifinal against Sinner
A crucial moment arrived more than two and a half hours into Novak Djokovic's French Open quarterfinal victory over Alexander Zverev. It was the fourth set, and Djokovic led, but Zverev was in possession of a break point and a chance to get back into the match. They engaged in a 41-stroke exchange, the longest of a buggy and breezy Wednesday night, and Djokovic came out on top, smacking a forehand winner. He stayed in place afterwards, breathing heavily, with hands on his hips, scanning the standing ovation from thousands of Court Philippe-Chatrier spectators. Djokovic might be 38 now. He might have slogged through a pair of three-match losing skids this season and slid to sixth in the rankings. What has not changed is Djokovic's determination or his ability to be his best on big stages — and now he is two wins from a record 25th Grand Slam title. Djokovic proved too much for third seed Zverev, a man who's a decade younger and was last year's runner-up at Roland-Garros, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 to set up a semifinal showdown against top-seeded Jannik Sinner. Earlier on Wednesday, Sinner continued his overpowering run through the bracket by dismissing Alexander Bublik 6-1, 7-5, 6-0. Sinner has not only not dropped a set so far, but he has ceded a total of only 36 games through five matches. So Friday will bring a tantalising showdown between the player many consider the top player in tennis history, Djokovic, and the player who is at the top of the men's game at the moment, Sinner. Djokovic and Sinner are tied 4-4 in their head-to-head series, but Sinner has won the last three matchups. No one has spent more weeks at number one in the rankings than Djokovic. No one has won more major championships or reached more major semifinals than his total that now stands at 51 after becoming the second-oldest man to get that far in Paris. Sinner, 23, is a three-time Grand Slam champion. That includes last year's US Open and this year's Australian Open, so his unbeaten streak at majors is now at 19 matches. He's also won his last 26 sets at those events. 'He's playing fast. He's playing smart,' Bublik said. 'He's in another dimension with all the aspects of the game.'
