Zheng Qinwen overcame a sluggish start to convincingly defeat Russian Anna Kalinskaya 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-1 on Wednesday, securing her spot in the semi-finals of the Australian Open for the first time. The Chinese 12th seed is set to face Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska in the upcoming match.
Kalinskaya, in her first Grand Slam quarter-final, displayed nervousness and gifted Zheng the opening break with a double fault. However, Zheng quickly returned the favor, and both players struggled with their serves, leading to a tiebreak.
Despite facing pressure in the opening set, U.S. Open quarter-finalist Zheng committed a forehand error, giving Kalinskaya two opportunities to claim the set. The Russian capitalized on the chance and sealed the set with a backhand winner. Zheng acknowledged Kalinskaya’s strong performance, particularly her baseline strokes, and expressed her determination to stay focused.
In the second set, Zheng broke Kalinskaya for a 5-3 lead, leveling the match with high-quality tennis. The Chinese player continued her momentum in the decider, breaking Kalinskaya without losing a point in the third game.
Kalinskaya faced a right leg issue, prompting a medical timeout after falling behind by a double break. Although she attempted a late fightback, Zheng maintained her focus, extending her lead and ultimately securing the victory.
Reflecting on her achievement, Zheng expressed happiness about reaching the semi-finals, emphasizing her excitement and satisfaction with her performance. Additionally, her victory ensures she will break into the top 10 rankings, marking her as the WTA’s most improved player of 2023 after the year’s first major.