"I had too much respect for her," Zheng reveals the keys to her victory against Sabalenka

Qinwen Zheng defeated Aryna Sabalenka for the first time in her career after six unsuccessful attempts. In the post-match press conference, the Chinese player explained that it was primarily a mental victory.

"I’m usually a very confident player, even if sometimes I get poor results. I know that if I focus and commit, I’ll succeed.

Sabalenka—I used to watch her play when I was 14 or 15. I think in our previous matches, I had too much respect for her. I wasn’t facing her like a normal opponent.

I remember going to the China Open in Tianjin in 2017. I was a junior, and I saw her in the final (which she lost to Maria Sharapova). My father was there, telling me I should learn from her forehand and backhand.

I think it took time for me to overcome that respect and treat her like any other player. Today, I’m glad I stayed calm, faced her like a normal opponent, and did what I had to do."

Zheng will face Coco Gauff this Thursday for a spot in the Rome tournament final.