Zheng Qingwen defeated Rybakina and won her first victory at the WTA Finals | Partners | Belarus News | Belarusian news | Belarus today | news in Belarus

RIYADH, November 5 /BelTA – China Daily/. China’s top tennis player Zheng Qingwen won in three sets over Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan at the WTA Finals in Riyadh on Monday, securing her first victory of the tournament.

Zheng, who had previously lost twice to Rybakina, broke serve to take a 4-1 lead in the first set, but the Kazakh bounced back in the seventh game to take the set to a tiebreaker. Zheng excelled in the tiebreaker, winning the first set.

In the second set, Zheng again took an early break, but was soon repelled by Rybakina, who then won three games in a row at 3–3 to level the match. In the deciding third set, Zheng raised her game by breaking Rybakina’s serve twice to eventually win 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-1.

The win marked Zheng’s first win at a WTA Finals in her debut appearance. Reflecting on her victory, Zheng said: “It’s great, especially in this type of game. I always feel energetic and I’m very happy that I can win this match.”

Zheng is still in contention to qualify from the group stage with this win and she said she will focus on her games and filter out what is happening outside. “I’m going to block it. Just tell yourself that this is another match that needs to be played like a regular tournament.”

In the other match, top seed Aryna Sabalenka beat Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 7-5 in one hour and 30 minutes to secure her second win of the group stage and guarantee her place in the semi-finals. Zheng will face Paolini on Wednesday to compete for the other spot in the Purple Group semi-finals.

In doubles, Katerina Sinyakova and Taylor Townsend beat Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez 6-2, 6-2, and Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens beat Lyudmila Kichenok and Jelena Ostapenko 6-1, 6-3.