By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Saturday, August 24, 2024Photo credit score: Matthew Calvis
NEW YORK—Zheng Qinwen made impressed historical past on Paris’ crimson clay.
The Olympic gold-medal champion goals to keep away from ignominious historical past on New York’s laborious courts.
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A smiling Zheng soared into historical past sweeping Croatian Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 on Court docket Philippe Chatrier to develop into the primary Chinese language participant to seize an Olympic tennis gold medal earlier this month.
The seventh-seeded Zheng faces a troublesome US Open first-round check in opposition to former French Open semifinalist Amanda Anisimova in a battle of massive hitters set for Monday at 11 a.m. in Louis Armstrong Stadium.
“The considered US Open is simply attempting to carry out as the most effective as I can each match,” Zheng advised the media. “There may be not many issues I’ve to say, as a result of after I understand if I simply focus match by match, that is the most effective I can do. Yeah, I am unable to suppose too far.”
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Australian Open finalist Zheng confirmed her talent for the down-the-line kill shot and aggressive calm roaring via seven of the final eight video games surprising Polish world No. 1 Iga Swiatek 6-2, 7-5 within the Paris Olympics semifinals.
Enjoying with poise and energy, Zheng made historical past reaching the gold-medal match in her Olympic debut. The 21-year-old Zheng snapped Swiatek’s 25-match Roland Garros successful streak to do it.
Zheng can play with heavier topspin than a few of her High 10 rivals and is keen to wage lengthy baseline rallies. The problem for Zheng is adapting her expansive backswings to the US Open faster laborious courts.
Zheng mentioned her Olympic gold medal is a psychological security internet: She is targeted on sustaining the lofty degree she confirmed in Paris subsequent week in New York.
“I had plenty of ups and downs after Australia, as a result of I say I misplaced some motivations, I am completely different within the apply,” Zheng mentioned. “And after I received Olympic gold medals, the very first thing I advised to myself is I need to preserve the motivation on. I do not need to let myself slip once more.
“I actually need to enhance another time in my psychological aspect. It is imply how you can preserve the extent when you find yourself develop into a champion and simply to maintain successful, successful, successful, as a substitute of getting relaxed and let your self lose straightforward match.
“If I am ready to try this, I feel I’ll actually break via some wall that I’ve for myself. I am simply attempting to work actually laborious on my psychological aspect. I want this time I can carry out as effectively.”
Ought to Zheng defeat the harmful Anisimova in her opener, she can be on tempo to face Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, whom Zheng defeated 6-4, 6-4 within the Australian Open semifinals, in a US Open third-round conflict adopted by a doable fourth-round match vs. Vekic in what can be a rematch of the Olympic gold-medal ultimate.
