In a thrilling WTA 500 semifinal at Queen's Club in London, eighth-seeded Amanda Anisimova of the USA shocked top seed Zheng Qinwen of the Chinese mainland with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 victory on Saturday. The win propels the American into Sunday's final, marking her first appearance in the title match at this historic grass-court event.
Maria, 37, punched her ticket by upsetting second-seeded Madison Keys 6-3, 7-6(3) in an earlier semifinal. In doing so, the German qualifier became the oldest finalist on the WTA Tour since Serena Williams captured the 2020 ASB Classic at age 38.
Anisimova took control early, using aggressive groundstrokes to break Zheng twice and claim the first set in just 37 minutes. Zheng fought back in set two, overturning a 2-0 deficit with a series of breaks before closing it out 6-4. In the decider, Anisimova regrouped, striking deep serves and timely winners to edge Zheng 6-4 and secure her spot in the championship showdown.
On Sunday, the contrasting styles of rising star Anisimova and seasoned veteran Maria will collide on the grass courts of Queen's Club. Will youthful power prevail, or will Maria's experience tip the scales? Tennis fans worldwide will be tuning in for what promises to be a captivating final.
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Anisimova beats Zheng Qinwen and will face Maria in Queen's Club final
cgtn.com
