RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – High-ranked Aryna Sabalenka cruised to a straight units victory over Zheng Qinwen within the opening match of the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Sabalenka received 6-3, 6-4 to increase her good file in opposition to the Chinese language participant to 5-0. It was additionally his twenty first win in his final 22 video games.
Seventh-ranked Zheng misplaced the final three video games as he was concentrating laborious, and it appeared as if he misplaced the consequence. After hitting a protracted backhand on match level, Zheng headed to his chair for what he thought was a change of ends as an alternative of going to the web to shake fingers.
He smiled and raised his hand apologetically after seeing it earlier than returning to the middle.
The win additionally places Sabalenka on prime for the yr. The Belarusian solely must win two of their three group matches to make sure they maintain the No. 1 rating.
Fourth-seeded Jasmine Paolini of Italy beat fifth-seeded Elena Rybakina in one other Purple Group match.
Paolini, who’s having fun with his first season, held off a tricky 7-6 (5), 6-4 match in his first match on the year-end event for the highest eight gamers.
Individuals Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula will face one another within the Orange Group on Sunday after second seed Iga Swiatek faces Barbora Krejcikova.
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