The Chinese Tennis Festival is celebrated in Wuhan

Not even in the best-case scenario could the Chinese public have imagined the impact a Chinese player would have in the final of the WTA 1000 in Wuhan. Finally, the draw and the good performance of the Chinese players have brought about this miracle, with a direct duel this Saturday between Qinwen Zheng and Xin Yu Wang, where the winner will advance to the title match. But before enjoying that showdown, let's hear the words of the world No. 7, who defeated Paolini this afternoon and then analyzed the significance of such a lineup for the tournament.

19 consecutive victories against Italian players

“I haven't thought about that because I never keep track of those kinds of records. One never calculates or thinks about the nationality of the player you are facing; the only thing you consider is your opponent's tennis, their game. I think the Italian players are in great form, especially Paolini, as she already showed in Palermo. She is a great player; this year we saw her reach two Grand Slam finals, which is incredible for her. I am very happy to have won because I felt like I was up against a tough opponent, very difficult to beat”.

Two local players facing off in the semifinals

“What it means, primarily, is that we have a Chinese player in the final. Our level of grassroots players is much higher than before, so this is great news. It's never easy to play against a compatriot; there is a different kind of pressure, and I'm aware because I've experienced it before. Both of us have grown in this tournament; we both competed as juniors. It will surely be a very tough match to win. In the end, in a WTA 1000 semifinal, there are never easy opponents. I will give my best, treat her as a normal opponent, and we will see what happens”.

Chinese showdown at home

“It's clear that we have raised the level of tennis in China; two players in this round of the tournament is amazing; we are talking about a semifinal, so there is no doubt that we are in great form. As I have said before, it won't be easy for either of us coming from the same country; we will have to deal with a different level of pressure. China is very fortunate to have two players like this; we will see who makes it to the final”.

The aftermath of the Olympic Games

“It hasn't been easy, but I have managed to find the motivation again, that desire to win. For example, this is something I didn't do so well after the Australian Open, so after the Olympic Games, I had to remind myself and my team of everything that happened after January. I was very aware of how I acted after the Australian Open, and I wanted to avoid that. From here, the most important thing was to arrive healthy for this tour, which I made sure to achieve with good training blocks. After these two consecutive semifinals, I hope the support from the audience helps me give my best tomorrow”.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La fiesta del tenis chino se celebra en Wuhan