China's Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen kicked off her WTA Finals debut in Riyadh but faced a challenging start, falling to world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday. 🎾
Zheng, making waves this season, went head-to-head with Sabalenka for the third time this year. Despite her efforts, she couldn't break Sabalenka's winning streak against her. Their last encounter was a thrilling three-set battle in the Wuhan Open final last month, showing just how closely matched these two powerhouses are. 💥
In another Purple Group singles match, Italy's Jasmine Paolini pulled off a stunning victory over Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, edging out a 7-6(5), 6-4 win. The competition is heating up! 🔥
Though Zheng didn't secure a win this time, her journey is just beginning. We're cheering her on as she continues to represent China on the world stage! 🇨🇳💪
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
