Zheng Qinwen bests rival Leylah Fernandez to reach Tokyo semifinals

Zheng Qinwen leveled her head-to-head with rival Leylah Fernandez on Friday, defeating the former US Open finalist, 6-0, 1-6, 6-3 to reach the semifinals at the Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis.

“I played great in the first set but in the second set, I lost a bit of my focus,” the Olympic champion explained on court after the match. “She also played well in the second set. To play a match in the third set is always not easy, so I’m just happy I was able to fight until the end and get this match.”

Fernandez won her first two matches against Zheng, including one earlier this year at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open in Doha, but Zheng has gotten her revenge on the Canadian in style this month, defeating her both at the Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open and here in Tokyo, this time after one hour and 47 minutes on Center Court.

“I always try to improve my tennis, but sometimes during the match, it’s not easy because the type of game of the opponent changes a lot,” said Zheng, who has now reached five semifinals this season. “She’s one of the only players who is in front of the baseline and never goes back, so today was not an easy match.”

Their Wuhan match included some fireworks, with Zheng calling out Fernandez’s coach and father Jorge for perceived gamesmanship.

“I was distracted in the first set by what the dad is saying because Leylah was on the other side,” Zheng said earlier this month. “He was always talking: ‘C'mon, c'mon,’ before I start to return. That's why I think I lost the game when I was up 30-0, because I was a little bit distracted.

“One moment I cannot hold more. I said to him, ‘You must talk before I start to return?’ But, I mean, after that actually I start to feel better because is what I have in my heart. I didn't say anything disrespectful. I just say what I feel without bad word.”

Despite major momentum shifts in Tokyo, the pair played a more even match with 18 winners apiece, Fernandez only hitting two more unforced errors with 26 to 24.

After losing winning the first seven games of the match, Zheng found herself on the back foot when she lost six on a row as Fernandez forced a final set. The 22-year-old recovered with aplomb in the third, racing out to a 3-0 lead and holding on to secure victory in under two hours, clinching match point with a strong serve that Fernandez missed long.

Up next for Zheng, who is set to compete in her first WTA Finals next month in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is another tricky lefty in Diana Shnaider, the No. 6 seed who advanced when Japanese qualifier Sayaka Ishii was forced to default from their quarterfinal to injury.