In a compelling second-round match at the Credit One Charleston Open, China`s No. 3 seed Zheng Qinwen showcased her prowess on clay by defeating Greece`s Maria Sakkari in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1. This victory propels Zheng into the Round of 16 at the tournament.
Zheng, making her second appearance in Charleston since her debut in 2022, demonstrated her tactical acumen over former World No. 3 Sakkari. The match lasted for one hour and 32 minutes. Sakkari, who reached the Charleston semifinals last year, faced a determined Zheng who executed her game plan effectively.
In her post-match interview on court, Zheng highlighted the importance of adapting from hard courts to clay. She stated, “I [knew] when I have to attack, when I have to defend, because everybody here is going to make the transition from hard to clay. I believe whoever transitions better here has a higher chance to win the tournament.”
Key Match Insights:
Clay-Court Streak Continues for Zheng: While Sakkari held a 2-1 advantage in their head-to-head record coming into this match, all previous encounters were on hard courts. Clay proved to be a different surface altogether. Zheng`s recent success on clay includes her gold medal victory at the 2024 Paris Olympics, held at Roland Garros.
This win marks Zheng`s 12th consecutive victory on clay, a streak that includes her title defense at Palermo prior to the Olympics.
Conversely, Sakkari`s ranking has declined in the past year, and her record for the year stands at 6 wins and 11 losses. She was seeking her first Top 10 win in over a year but has now extended her losing streak against Top 10 opponents to eight matches since her victory over Coco Gauff at the 2024 Indian Wells.
Powerful Shots Drive Zheng`s Success: Zheng`s game is particularly effective on clay, where her powerful and deep forehands allow her to dictate play. She utilized this weapon to navigate a long game at 3-3 in the first set, ultimately securing the crucial break.
Known for her strong serve, Zheng`s first serve remained a significant asset on clay. She used it to save a break point while consolidating her lead to 5-3 in the first set, eventually taking the set.
Zheng`s first serve continued to dominate in the second set. Her first serve effectiveness was evident as she won 87.5 percent of those points. However, her second serve was more vulnerable, winning only about a third of those points.
Despite the second serve vulnerability, Zheng`s effective first serve and break point conversion (2-for-2) ensured her victory without dropping serve. Fittingly, the match concluded with a powerful forehand from Zheng, forcing an error from Sakkari on match point.
New Opponent Awaits: In the Round of 16, Zheng is set to face No. 13 seed Elise Mertens of Belgium. Mertens advanced by defeating Varvara Gracheva in straight sets in the final match of Wednesday on Credit One Stadium.
This will be the first career match between Zheng and Mertens, a former Top 15 player, promising a fresh challenge for Zheng in the tournament.
