WTA Finals: Queenwen Elect as Zheng Qinwen continues golden season, sweeps aside Barbora Krejcikova to reach final

Zheng Qinwen has continued a truly epic season by reaching the final in Riyadh at the WTA Finals. The Olympic gold medalist handed Barbora Krejcikova on Friday a 6-3, 7-5 defeat in her first appearance at the prestigious year end tournament.

She reaches the final on Saturday where she will play either Aryna Sabalenka or Coco Gauff. The seventh seed has won 31 out of 36 matches since Wimbledon and leads the way on tour ahead of Aryna Sabalenka.

Throughout the tie, it was sheer power and knocking the racquet out of Krejcikova's hands. She hit nine aces to ease to a total of 35 for the tournament. She hit 23 winners and 24 unforced errors compared to 13 and 29 from Krejcikova.

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The Czech ace who has found some inspired form amid a malaise in recent months of injury nightmares looked tired and lethargic as the in-form Chinese star teed off. She had only played six matches in three months. The last in Ningbo with a back injury.

But in a group that she was expected to struggle in, she beat Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff in straight sets. Back to Queenwen who became the youngest player to reach the semi-finals in her first WTA Finals since Garbine Muguruza in 2015.

Ironically the Spaniard is in Riyadh as the tournament director. She is the youngest in the final since Petra Kvitova in 2011 and has now beaten multiple Grand Slam winners at a single event for the second tim.

Zheng gained the upperhand with a double fault followed by two backend errors and two from the other side giving Zheng her first and only break of the set. Zheng found her way out of trouble when needed serving big. She hit three aces en route to a 3-0 lead.

Krejcikova tried to come to the net but was not allowed by the sheer power game. Serving at 2-5, Krejcikova stayed alive but not for long as Qinwen sealed it from there. Zheng from there broke Krejcikova in the first and third games and ran off into a 3-0 lead. The latter came back but faltered down the stretch to hand her the win.