China's rising tennis sensation Zheng Qinwen faced off against Russia's Elina Avanesyan in a thrilling third-round match at the French Open on Saturday. 🎾 Under the rain-soaked Parisian skies, the two young talents battled it out in a match that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
Zheng, the seventh seed and only 21 years old, started strong, taking the first set 6-3 with an extra break over Avanesyan, who is ranked world number 70. The momentum seemed to be with Zheng as she broke early in the second set. But Avanesyan, who's been on fire lately with a 5-0 record against Top 15 players, wasn't going to back down that easily. She fought back to claim the second set 6-3, just before rain halted play. ☔
After the rain delay, the decider set turned into an absolute nail-biter! Zheng found herself trailing 5-2 but dug deep to win four consecutive games, flipping the script and igniting hopes of victory. However, Avanesyan held her nerve, pushing the match into a tense 10-point tiebreaker. With both players giving it their all, it was the Russian who ultimately clinched the breaker 10-6, securing her spot in the last 16 at Roland Garros for the second year in a row.
Despite the loss, Zheng's performance was nothing short of inspiring. Since reaching the Australian Open final in January this year, she's been making waves on the global tennis scene. While she hasn't yet surpassed her best French Open record from two years ago—when she made it to the round of 16 in her Paris debut—it's clear that Zheng is a force to be reckoned with and a star on the rise. ⭐
Up next, Avanesyan will face Italy's Jasmine Paolini, who edged out Canada's Bianca Andreescu 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 in another intense match. Tennis fans won't want to miss this upcoming duel!
Stay tuned for more exciting updates from the French Open! 🎉
Reference(s):
China's Zheng falls to Avnesyan in rain-hit French Open 3rd round
cgtn.com
