Qinwen Zheng proved too sharp as soon as once more for Leylah Annie Fernandez on Friday in Tokyo, defeating the Canadian 6-0, 1-6, 6-3 to advance to the semifinals of the Toray Pan Pacific Open.
In a rematch of their assembly simply two weeks in the past in Wuhan, the competition as soon as once more went the gap, with the highest seed from China finally overcoming the 21-year-old along with her excessive stage ball of placing.
In a match of main momentum swings, it was the Olympic gold medalist taking cost early with relentless strain. A backhand return winner from Zheng arrange a break level within the opening sport which she capitalized on and held for an early 2-0 lead. The robust begin from Zheng continued, as she managed play along with her heavy, penetrative groundstrokes.
She broke Fernandez twice extra, coasting to a dominant 6-0 opening set in 25 minutes.
Learn extra: NCAA Replace
Extra dazzling shot-making continued to open the second set, as Zheng broke serve to increase her streak to seven video games. Fernandez lastly supplied resistance and transformed on a 3rd break level likelihood to get on the scoreboard within the very subsequent sport. She then survived an eight-minute service sport, staving off three break level alternatives earlier than holding for a 2-1 benefit.
The maintain of serve decidedly shifted the momentum because the Canadian raised her stage, utilizing precision groundstrokes and robust web play to forge forward. She reeled off the subsequent 4 video games to grab the second set, 6-1.
Zheng would snap the Canadian’s run of six consecutive video games by holding serve to open the third set and rapidly received again on the entrance foot. A break of serve within the second sport and one other maintain gave the Chinese language a 3-0 benefit. The short begin proved decisive as each opponents held their stage by way of the next six video games. Zheng closed out the victory on serve to ebook a spot within the semifinals.
See additionally: Diallo Into Prime 100 After Almaty Last Run
With the win, she now evens her head-to-head with the Fernandez at 2-2.
Boulter overwhelms Andreescu
Earlier within the day, Bianca Andreescu was unable to match the consistency and energy of her opponent in Tokyo, falling to Nice Britain’s Katie Boulter within the quarterfinals 6-2, 6-1 in 63 minutes.
Boulter dictated play early along with her measured groundstrokes, breaking the serve of Andreescu within the opening sport, after which a second time to take a commanding 5-1 first set lead.
The 28-year-old comfortably closed out the opener on serve 6-2 in 32 minutes.
The ninth seed remained on the entrance foot, swinging freely and with confidence. Two extra breaks of serve gave Boulter a commanding 4-0 second set lead. The Canadian lastly managed a maintain within the fifth sport but it surely was too little too late.
Boulter broke the previous US Open champion for a fifth time to safe the match 6-2, 6-1 and ebook her spot within the semifinals.
