WTA Finals: Zheng Qinwen overcomes Rybakina, keeps semis hopes alive
China’s rising star Zheng Qinwen triumphed over a struggling Elena Rybakina, securing a 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-1 victory in an intense showdown at the WTA Finals.
Reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova had to retire from her second-round match at the Berlin Ladies Open with a right hip injury. The World No.6 was leading Anna Kalinskaya 5-3 in the first set when she slipped and fell after a split-step on the first point of the ninth game.
Holding her right hip area, Vondrousova walked to her bench under her own power and received off-court medical treatment. She returned to play two games before retiring with the set tied at 5-5.
Vondrousova will have less than two weeks to recover ahead of her title defense at Wimbledon title defense, which begins on July 1.
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Kalinskaya advanced to the quarterfinals and will face either No.2 seed Aryna Sabalenka or Daria Kasatkina.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina enjoyed a more fortunate day. The No.3 seed came from a break down in the second set to defeat Veronika Kudermetova 6-4, 7-5 in her tournament opener.
Into her 10th quarterfinal of the season, Rybakina will face former No.1 Victoria Azarenka on Friday. A win would boost her into her first grass-court semifinal since her Wimbledon title. Rybakina kept consistent pressure on Kudermetova throughout the 1-hour and 33-minute match, generating 11 break points while seeing just three on her own serve. Rybakina broke first for a 2-0 lead but was broken when she served for the set at 5-3. She responded with her second break of the match to close the opening set.
Kudermetova built a 3-1 lead early in the second set but buckled under Rybakina’s return pressure. Rybakina closed out the win by leveling the set and then, with Kudermetova serving to force a tiebreak, broke serve for a fourth and final time to seal a spot in her first Berlin quarterfinal.
Rybakina finished with 18 winners, including five aces, to 16 unforced errors.
The victory improved Rybakina’s unbeaten record against Kudermetova to 5-0. She will face a similar task against Azarenka, against whom she is undefeated at 4-0.
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