Zheng Qinwen advances to the 2024 WTA Finals final against Gauff.
In the early hours of the 9th, Beijing time, Chinese player Zheng Qinwen defeated Czech star Kvitová 2-0 in the semifinals of the WTA Finals, advancing to the tournament's final. Zheng Qinwen previously faced Kvitová in the WTA500 Zhengzhou women's singles final back in October 2023, where she emerged victorious with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 scoreline, clinching her first career WTA 500 title.
In this match, Zheng Qinwen won the first set 6-3 and led 3-0 in the second set before her opponent managed to break her serve twice. Fortunately, Zheng Qinwen quickly regained her momentum, breaking back late in the second set and sealing the victory with a 7-5 scoreline, ultimately clinching the match 2-0 overall.
In the other semifinal, Gauff defeated Sabalenka 2-0 and will now face Zheng Qinwen in the championship match. Earlier this season, Gauff and Sabalenka had faced each other twice, with both players splitting the wins 4-4. However, Sabalenka emerged victorious in both encounters this year. Gauff’s victory in this match was therefore slightly surprising.
Zheng Qinwen faced Gauff once during both her junior and senior career stages, with Gauff emerging victorious each time. In December 2018, at the ITF Junior Year-End Finals, 14-year-old Gauff defeated 16-year-old Zheng Qinwen in the final, winning her last-ever junior title with a score of 6-1, 3-6, 6-4.
Six years later, in the 2024 season, at 12:00 AM on November 10, Coco Gauff and Zheng Qinwen will once again face off in the WTA Finals championship match. Will Gauff extend her perfect head-to-head record against Zheng, or will Zheng finally claim sweet revenge? Find out tomorrow!
Previously, China's best result at the WTA Finals was held by Li Na, who finished as runner-up in 2013. For Zheng Qinwen, making it to the finals on her very first appearance was nothing short of remarkable—and she certainly lived up to the high expectations she’d drawn from fans and pundits alike. Now, she’ll look to build on this impressive debut and potentially break new ground for Chinese tennis.
