Zheng after her first win against Sabalenka: "I've been trying to beat her for a long time"

The women's draw in Rome saw a major upset on Thursday with Qinwen Zheng's commanding victory over Aryna Sabalenka.

The Chinese player, ranked No. 8 in the WTA, had never previously defeated the Belarusian in their six encounters. But on the Italian clay, aided by an effective first serve and a well-executed strategy, Zheng finally managed to outplay the world No. 1.

A 6-4, 6-3 win that clearly relieved her, as she explained in the press conference: "I'm very happy with this victory. I've been trying to beat her for a long time. There were a few times when I was close, but I never managed to pull it off until now.

This was also our first match on clay, a surface where I feel more comfortable. The conditions were perfect for me, and I was more patient than her. Today, I realized that when I make her play a little more, it makes the difference. I'm very pleased with my performance."

Zheng also shared the keys to her dominant success: "At first, I kept telling myself not to give her any free points. I know that when rallies start getting longer, my chances of winning increase.

I remember in our previous matches, she would easily win the early games and lead 3-0 or 4-0. When I stepped onto the court today, I knew I had to hold my serve and make sure the match didn’t go too fast. My strategy clearly worked."