Olympic Champ Zheng Qinwen Reaches WTA Finals Semis as Sabalenka Falls

Zheng Qinwen continued her impressive season by reaching the semi-finals of the WTA Finals in Riyadh on Wednesday, defeating Jasmine Paolini with a decisive 6-1, 6-1 victory in just 67 minutes. Zheng, the Chinese Olympic gold medallist, marked her 30th win out of her last 35 matches, overcoming the fourth-seeded Italian to secure her place in the final four.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina claimed a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 win over world number one Aryna Sabalenka, who had already qualified for the semi-finals. Though eliminated from the tournament after two earlier losses, Rybakina regained form in this match—a morale boost for the world number five after missing much of the season due to health issues. “It was a tough match, and I’m really happy to finish the year with a win over the world number one,” Rybakina said, sharing a warm moment with Sabalenka at the net.

Sabalenka, who has lost only twice in her last 24 matches, must wait to learn her semi-final opponent. Despite the loss, she celebrated clinching the year-end number one ranking after Iga Swiatek’s defeat by Coco Gauff on Tuesday. Sabalenka emphasized that while the ranking is rewarding, her primary focus remains on winning the WTA Finals for the first time.

In the last day of round-robin play in the Purple Group, Zheng and Paolini competed for the remaining semi-final spot. Zheng’s strong performance secured her progression, making her the first Chinese player to advance past the group stage since Li Na in 2013. “I’m really proud. This is my first time at the WTA Finals, and I was in a challenging group,” said Zheng, 22. “I served well, hit strong groundstrokes, and enjoyed every moment.”

Zheng took control early, breaking Paolini in the third game and extending her lead to 5-1. Paolini, a two-time Grand Slam finalist this season, saved one set point but couldn’t stop Zheng from sealing the first set. The second set saw Zheng continue her dominance; she saved a break point at 5-1 and clinched the match with her 12th ace, marking her fourth consecutive win against Paolini.

Paolini will remain in Riyadh to compete in the doubles semi-finals with her Italian partner, Sara Errani.