In a stunning display of skill and teamwork, China's Zheng Saisai and Wang Xinyu defeated the 11th seeds, Russia's Veronika Kudermetova and Japan's Ena Shibahara, with a score of 6-1, 7-5 in the second round of the Australian Open Women's Doubles on Sunday. The match, which lasted one hour and 29 minutes, showcased the Chinese pair’s dominance from the start.
From the beginning, Zheng and Wang took control, winning 28 points in the first set compared to 15 by their opponents, and only dropping four points on serve. Their aggressive play allowed them to secure the first set in just 30 minutes.
The second set saw a resurgence from Kudermetova and Shibahara, who managed to win the first three games, including a lengthy third game that extended to deuce five times over 11 minutes. However, Zheng and Wang maintained their composure, securing key service games and breaking their opponents' serve to level the frame at 3-3.
As the set progressed, the Chinese duo continued to apply pressure. Despite facing set points against Wang’s serve, Kudermetova and Shibahara couldn’t convert, allowing Zheng and Wang to gain a 6-5 lead with a critical second break off Shibahara's serve. Needing only one more match point, Zheng and Wang sealed their victory in the final game, advancing to the round of 16.
Reflecting on their performance, Wang stated, \"We got off to a good start in this match, which was quite a surprise for us, as in our previous matches, we struggled a little bit before getting smoother. The second set was tight, as we were broken first, but we did not panic, and focused on the strategy we had planned, and played calmly with decisive action.\"
Reference(s):
China's Zheng/Wang beat women's doubles 11th seeds at Australian Open
cgtn.com
