Zheng Qinwen of the Chinese mainland advanced to the final of the Palermo Ladies Open after a gripping victory against Diane Parry of France. In the semifinals held on Saturday at the clay-court tournament in Palermo, Italy, Zheng showcased her resilience and skill, winning in straight sets 7-5, 6-4.
The first set was tightly contested, reaching a 4-4 tie after the initial eight games. Zheng broke Parry's serve in the ninth game, only for Parry to respond with a break of her own, leveling the set once again. Demonstrating her mental fortitude, Zheng secured another break and held her sixth serve to clinch the first set.
In the second set, Zheng took an early lead of 3-1 and maintained her momentum with a steady performance, ultimately winning the set without dropping a single game throughout the tournament so far. This marks Zheng's fourth consecutive victory at the Palermo Ladies Open.
Looking ahead, Zheng will face Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic in Sunday's final. This match will be Zheng's sixth Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour title match and her second appearance in a final this year, following her advance to the Australian Open final in January.
With two WTA Tour trophies already under her belt this year, including her 2023 Palermo Open win over Jasmine Paolini of Italy, Zheng is proving to be a formidable force on the court. Despite a previous encounter with Muchova at the Madrid Open in April 2022, where she was defeated, Zheng is determined to secure her latest triumph at this prestigious tournament.
Reference(s):
Zheng Qinwen reaches Palermo Open final to face Karolina Muchova
cgtn.com