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Qinwen Zheng Overcomes Elena Rybakina in WTA Finals

Qinwen Zheng defeated Elena Rybakina in three sets at the WTA Finals.
Pat Benson|
Qinwen Zheng defeated Elena Rybakina in three sets at the WTA Finals.
Qinwen Zheng defeated Elena Rybakina in three sets at the WTA Finals. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Entering Monday's match, Qinwen Zheng and Elena Rybakina were coming off tough losses in the first round of the WTA Finals. However, they could still place in the year-end Round Robin tournament.

The importance of the match was not lost on the seven-seed Zheng or five-seed Rybakina as the two players battled it out in a marathon match. In the end, Zheng outlasted Rybakina in three sets: 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-1.

The beginning of the match increased the tension in the arena as an evenly-fought first set went to a tie-break. Zheng took a break early in the second set, but Rybakina took four straight games to force a deciding set.

Despite losing the third set in lopsided fashion, it was anything but a blowout. Rybakina saved three break points but was ultimately unable to stop the surging Zheng.

Today marks Zheng's first-ever victory at the WTA Finals. Her final match of round-robin play will come against the four-seed Jasmine Paolini, while Rybakina will play top seed Aryna Sabalenka. Now that the first match of the day is over, Sabalenka will face Paolini at 10:15 a.m. EST.

Zheng said after the match, "I'm really happy to win this match. I never beat her before. She's one of the greatest players on the tour right now. She has a huge serve and great groundstrokes. I'm just happy today I gave my best."

When asked what was the key to victory in the deciding set, Zheng answered, "I think to stay focused in your service game. Both of us are destroying our serves. It's really tough to return. Just to win, to hold every single point."

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers professional tennis for Serve on Sports Illustrated, reporting on ATP and WTA events worldwide. From Challenger tournaments to Grand Slams, he brings readers in-depth coverage, daily recaps, and exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport. With a decade of experience in sports journalism, Pat is recognized as a trusted voice in tennis media. You can contact him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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