In a thrilling first-round match at the WTA1000 Rome on Tuesday, China’s top player Zheng Qinwen staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Hungarian Anna Bondar 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. This was her third consecutive win over Bondar, advancing to the second round where she will face 30th seed Sara Bencic of Spain.
After dropping the first set and trailing 0-3 in the decider, Zheng displayed incredible resilience to turn the match around. Despite the struggles, her ability to overcome adversity earned widespread praise from fans. Reflecting on the victory, Zheng said, “When I was down 0-3 in the third set, I didn’t want to keep playing three sets, but this match was crucial for me. Even when behind, I could fight for every point and turn the score around. That’s what I need to focus on—the present moment. Previously, I was always thinking about the future and results, but in that moment, I felt like I was back to playing tennis step by step. I thought, ‘If I’m already 0-3 down, what can I lose?’ Losing in the first round would have been a heavy blow, but I didn’t want any regrets. I went all out, and I’m very lucky to be the winner today. I’m happy that my hard work paid off, and I finally found my rhythm in the match.” Let’s wish Zheng continued luck!
Another Chinese player, Zhang Shuai, was not as fortunate. She was defeated by American Li Jenny 1-6, 6-4, 6-2, exiting in the first round.
In other matches, Canadian star Bianca Andreescu defeated American Sofia Kenin 6-4, 7-5, avenging her loss in Charleston earlier this year. Returning from injury, Czech star Barbora Krejcikova beat Frenchman Jerme Jaque 6-2, 6-4 to secure her first win of the clay season. She will face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka next. Krejcikova said, “We’ve played many times before, and it’s always tough. I’ve been watching her matches over the past two months, and she’s been playing brilliantly. I’m looking forward to the challenge and seeing my level. I hope I can be a troublesome opponent for her.”
Other players like Oliniokova, Zakharova, Kessler, Lusic, Semiz, and Gibson also won their first-round matches. Meanwhile, Madrid champion Elena Kostyuk and British No. 1 Emma Raducanu withdrew from the Rome tournament due to injuries.
In the WTA1000 Rome qualifying round, Chinese player Yuan Yue squandered a 5-3 lead and four match points in the final set, eventually losing 2-6, 6-1, 5-7 to Swisswoman Wolte.
Turning to other Chinese players, at the ATP Challenger in Wuxi, three of the five Chinese mainland players advanced in the first round. Bu Zhou Xiao Kui defeated Smith 6-4, 7-5, Sun Fajing beat Bolt 6-7(7), 6-3, 6-3, and Cui Jie overcame Gararno 6-2, 6-4. Zhang Tianhui and Turgale both lost in the first round.
Additionally, at the WTA125 in Istanbul, 15-year-old Chinese wild card Sun Xinran impressed with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory over world No. 191 Gjochevska. This was her first win against a top-200 player and her first professional adult tour victory. Congratulations to her! Keep up the great work.
