China's Zheng clinches first clay-court win of season in Italian Open
Zheng Qinwen returns a shot during the women's singles 2nd round match between Zheng Qinwen of China and Olga Danilovic of Serbia at the WTA Italian Open in Rome, Italy, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
ROME, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese tennis star Zheng Qinwen advanced to the third round of the WTA Italian Open on Friday, defeating Serbia's Olga Danilovic 6-1, 6-4 in 90 minutes.
Seeded eighth, Zheng received a first-round bye. Her opponent, world No. 33 Danilovic, had lost to Zheng in straight sets at the 2023 United Cup. Friday's match marked their first clay-court meeting.
Zheng dominated the opening set, racing to a 5-0 lead. Despite facing four break points in the seventh game, she held serve and sealed the set 6-1 with an ace.
The second set saw both players exchange breaks early, with Zheng edging ahead 3-2. She later won four consecutive points to claim the eighth game and closed out the set 6-4, securing her first clay-court win of the season.
"Before going on court, I told myself I needed to be more consistent," Zheng said. "In my last match in Madrid, I had too many unforced errors, so today my goal was to stay steady first, then look for chances to attack. I feel like I stuck to my game plan well."
Looking ahead to the Rome tournament and the French Open, Zheng emphasized mental composure: "When my emotions get too restless, it affects my performance on court. Now, my goal is to quiet my mind and take it one match at a time." ■
Olga Danilovic serves during the women's singles 2nd round match between Zheng Qinwen of China and Olga Danilovic of Serbia at the WTA Italian Open in Rome, Italy, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Olga Danilovic reacts during the women's singles 2nd round match between Zheng Qinwen of China and Olga Danilovic of Serbia at the WTA Italian Open in Rome, Italy, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Zheng Qinwen returns a shot during the women's singles 2nd round match between Zheng Qinwen of China and Olga Danilovic of Serbia at the WTA Italian Open in Rome, Italy, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Olga Danilovic serves during the women's singles 2nd round match between Zheng Qinwen of China and Olga Danilovic of Serbia at the WTA Italian Open in Rome, Italy, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Zheng Qinwen returns a shot during the women's singles 2nd round match between Zheng Qinwen of China and Olga Danilovic of Serbia at the WTA Italian Open in Rome, Italy, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Zheng Qinwen returns a shot during the women's singles 2nd round match between Zheng Qinwen of China and Olga Danilovic of Serbia at the WTA Italian Open in Rome, Italy, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Zheng Qinwen returns a shot during the women's singles 2nd round match between Zheng Qinwen of China and Olga Danilovic of Serbia at the WTA Italian Open in Rome, Italy, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
