World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has kicked off her WTA Finals campaign in Riyadh with a dominant 6-3, 6-4 victory over Zheng Qinwen. The Belarusian star is aiming to secure both the year-end title and the No. 1 ranking, and her performance against Zheng was a testament to her determination.
Sabalenka’s serve proved to be a key factor in her victory. She won an impressive 94% of points on her first serve and committed only one double fault. This allowed her to put Zheng under constant pressure and prevent her from gaining any momentum.
The first set was a tight affair, with both players holding serve until the sixth game. Sabalenka finally broke through with a double fault from Zheng, giving her a 4-2 lead. She held her serve in the next game to take the set 6-3.
The second set followed a similar pattern, with neither player able to break serve until the ninth game. Sabalenka once again seized the opportunity, breaking Zheng’s serve with a powerful backhand return. She then held her serve to close out the match 6-4.
Sabalenka praised her serve after the match, saying, “I’m super happy with the win. I think I served really well tonight, and I put her under so much pressure.”
Zheng, who has been in excellent form this season, was unable to match Sabalenka’s consistency. However, she showed glimpses of her potential, particularly with her aggressive groundstrokes.
Sabalenka’s victory puts her in a strong position to qualify for the semifinals of the WTA Finals. She will face Maria Sakkari in her next match, while Zheng will take on Caroline Garcia.
