Zheng beats Raducanu at Queen's after change of shoes, Rybakina upset by Maria
Tennis - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 13, 2025 China's Qinwen Zheng in action during her quarter final match against Britain's Emma Raducanu Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge REUTERS
LONDON - Top seed Zheng Qinwen beat home favourite Emma Raducanu 6-2 6-4 to move into the semi-finals at the Queen's Club Championships on Friday while 37-year-old Tatjana Maria upset 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina to reach the last four.
In an entertaining battle at the Andy Murray Arena, Zheng showed she could be a worthy contender heading into Wimbledon as she marched into her first semi-final on grass when she converted her fourth match point.
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 grasscourt. I'm just really happy to get into the semi-final for the first time on grass."
Zheng and Raducanu were neck-and-neck in the opening set until the Chinese world number five finally broke serve to go 4-2 up.
The home crowd largely favoured Raducanu but Zheng did not waver and the Paris Olympic champion claimed the opening set despite a fall on set point.
Raducanu took a medical timeout for a back issue before the second set and that swung the momentum the Briton's way as she secured a double break to go 3-0 up.
But Zheng quickly recovered and levelled the set, before going 5-4 up with an overhead smash that kissed the line, with the crowd gasping as one when they watched a replay of the point.
Serving to stay in the match, Raducanu produced a double fault to give Zheng three match points which she saved before the top seed prevailed.
MARIA UPSETS RYBAKINA
Germany's Maria, who came through the qualifiers and also knocked out sixth seed Karolina Muchova in the last-16, stunned Rybakina 6-4 7-6(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 number 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 Madison Keys, who battled back from a set down to beat Diana Shnaider 2-6 6-3 6-4.
"Diana played so well and she's always a tricky opponent," Keys said.
"I had to raise my level after the first set, and I'm happy that I managed to figure it out." REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Sinner seeks to put disappointment of French Open defeat behind him
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 8, 2025 Italy's Jannik Sinner with the runner up trophy after losing the men's singles final against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo World number one Jannik Sinner wants to use the Halle Open as a chance to bounce back from sleepless nights after his agonising loss to rival Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final this month. In a thrilling showdown, Sinner took the first two sets and had three match points in the fourth set, but Spaniard Alcaraz persevered to grind out a 4-6 6-7(4) 6-4 7-6(3) 7-6(10-2) win in five hours and 29 minutes - the longest final at Roland Garros. Asked if he had thought about the championship points he failed to convert, Sinner told reporters on Saturday: "Often. It happens. I don't know how it will look in the future. "I think that it is not the most important thing, but I nevertheless try to forget the negative things and see what I can do here" in Halle. "I think that for me to play another tournament is positive, because every match is a new beginning, and I must be mentally ready to give my all on the court. Therefore, it is great I can be here in Halle. Yes, I had already a few sleepless nights, but I think every day it gets better." The 23-year-old Italian is the reigning champion at Halle and will seek to defend his crown at the tournament, which starts on Monday, as he gears up for Wimbledon, which will be held from June 30 to July 13 at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. "The first practice session was OK. I hadn't played since Paris, so my general feelings on the court were not so perfect," Sinner said. "I think a good grass-court player can move well. The ball can bounce a bit funny because of the grass, and you have to serve intelligently. "But in general, it is a surface on which I took a step forward last year and we will see how it goes this year." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
US coach Pochettino says players cannot dictate plan after Pulisic skips Gold Cup
FILE PHOTO: Mar 20, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; United States of America head coach Mauricio Pochettino talks to the media after their loss to Panama in a Concacaf Nations League semifinal match at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images/File Photo REUTERS Players cannot pick and choose which games they will be available for, United States coach Mauricio Pochettino said after forward Christian Pulisic skipped the CONCACAF Gold Cup but offered to play in a pair of friendlies. Pulisic, who played 50 games for AC Milan in the recently-concluded season, said he would miss the Gold Cup to rest and recover, with former U.S. stalwarts Landon Donovan and Alexi Lalas among those who criticised the decision. In an interview with the CBS Sports podcast on Thursday, Pulisic said he had asked to play in friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland, but was not involved in those matches because Pochettino wanted a consistent squad heading into the Gold Cup. The AC Milan winger said he understood the head coach's decision, while adding that those questioning his commitment to the national team were "way out of line". Asked about Pulisic's comments, Pochettino told reporters on Saturday: "Players (do) not need to understand or not understand. Players need to listen and to stick with our plan. They cannot dictate the plan. "Because if not, OK, we invert — we swap the position (coach and player), no ? That is obvious. The most important thing is that we explain why we decided not to include (him) in the two friendly games. "And then if you have some problems, no, that is not my problem to understand... I am the head coach. I am not a mannequin." The U.S. suffered defeats in both of their friendly matches, losing 2-1 to Turkey and 4-0 at home against Switzerland. They will look to snap a four-game losing run when they begin their Gold Cup campaign with a match against Trinidad and Tobago in San Jose, California later on Sunday. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
Pat Cummins says WTC final ‘a bridge too far' for beaten Australia
Australia's Pat Cummins appeals unsuccessfully for the wicket of South Africa's Tristan Stubbs. Action Images via Reuters LONDON – Australia captain Pat Cummins said his side had been faced with a 'bridge too far' after losing the World Test Championship final to South Africa at Lord's on June 14. Cummins' men, the reigning title-holders, were strongly fancied to defeat the South Africans. But they suffered a five-wicket defeat as South Africa, with opener Aiden Markram making a superb 136 and skipper Temba Bavuma 66, chased down a target of 282 before lunch on the fourth day. Australia led by 74 runs on first innings but could never completely pull clear of the Proteas, with South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada returning fine match figures of 9-110. 'Things can change pretty quickly,' said Cummins at the post-match presentation ceremony. 'Unfortunately, it was a bridge too far.' Steve Smith's first-innings 66 was the only score of fifty or more in the match by a specialist Australia batsman. Smith, however, suffered a dislocated finger while dropping a slip catch and is now doubtful for the first Test against the West Indies in Barbados on June 25. Australia, now at the start of a new WTC cycle, may have to review their batting options more broadly, with Marnus Labuschagne who averaged a lowly 25.63 in Tests during the 2024/25 season, out for 17 and 22 at Lord's after being promoted to open the innings. 'We've got a couple of weeks before the first Test in the Windies, so we'll sit down and have a bit of a think,' added Cummins. 'To make these finals, it's normally off the back of being really strong at home, but you've got to win some away series too. So, in some ways, it's good we get to dust ourselves off and turn around in a couple of weeks and start looking ahead to the next one.' South Africa had the best batting conditions of the match in their second innings but they still had a job to do in recording the second-highest successful run chase to win a Test at Lord's, behind the West Indies' 344-1, requiring 342, against England in 1984. This match was the culmination of the third edition of the WTC with New Zealand the inaugural 2021 champions and Australia triumphant in 2023, with India twice the losing finalists. But the format of the competition has faced fierce criticism, with countries free to decide how many Tests they want to play in the two-year qualifying cycle. South Africa played just 12 Tests in the recent cycle, with none of those games against England or Australia, who won 13 out of 19 matches to reach the final. But a gracious Cummins said of South Africa: 'They showed why they're in this final and are deserved champions.' AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
