Some displays this week will feature a calculator to make sure players are through to the latter stages but Zheng Qinwen left nothing to chance in Riyadh sealing her WTA Finals semi-final spot with a thumping 6-1, 6-1 win over Jasmine Paolini.
She continued her superb second half of 2024 with victory over the World No.4 and will advance to Friday's semi-final albeit doesn't know her opponent yet. That is still to be confirmed. She only needed 67 minutes though to dispatch the Italian.
She smashed 12 aces and five breaks of serve as she displayed a deft touch and flawless fancy footwork to put on a real statement display in moving through. She has now beaten Paolini all four times they have played. She produced six consecutive first serves that weren't returned with her exquisite ace a weapon to be truly marvelled at.
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Continuing to break new ground, she has made it a debut to remember. She is the youngest to reach the semi-finals since Petra Kvitova in 2011. It is her seventh semi-final of the year and the first time she's ever beaten two top 10 players in the same tournament.
She has won 30 matches since Wimbledon four more than Aryna Sabalenka showing her streak as the player to beat outside of the World No.1. Winning Olympic gold, Palermo, Tokyo and reaching the Quarter-Finals at the US Open. She has now added the WTA finals to her resume.
Paolini ends a career best breakout season albeit with a crushing loss but her best yet overall. She is still in doubles with Sara Errani and can look back with serious pride at a 2024 truly to remember.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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