Qinwen: "I am aware of my level, I know what I am capable of"

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Seeing how well things had gone for her on this latest Asian tour, it was not crazy to think of Qinwen Zheng as one of the players with the most options to advance past the Round Robin of the WTA Finals 2024 and confirm her arrival in Riyadh in a spectacular form. Five days later, that prediction became a reality thanks to the victories she had this week against Elena Rybakina and Jasmine Paolini, recovering from the defeat she suffered on the first day against Aryna Sabalenka. This afternoon, after defeating the Italian and ensuring her stay in Riyadh for two more days, the WTA's microphones captured the impressions of the World No. 7, a woman who is currently dreaming big and feels capable of fighting for the greatest.

"I think this has been one of my best performances this season, with a very high percentage of first serves, I felt very good with my groundstrokes, I was even able to make a couple of good volleys," she acknowledged after clearing Paolini's path in just 67 minutes. "I have finally shown the level of tennis that I truly aspire to, although I understand that it is normal to step onto the court and be a little nervous, although on the other hand, I have that confidence in knowing what my level is, I know what I am capable of. I am very happy with the performance I have had, I enjoyed this afternoon's match very much," assessed the best Asian tennis player on the planet.

And what is the key to Qinwen's success in 2024? It is impossible to pinpoint a single factor, but one essential element is her serve. This is confirmed by the numbers, labeling her as the player with the most 'aces' of the year. "Finally, I feel that my serve is starting to be a bit more consistent. I remember in 2022 that my serve was also a pretty powerful weapon, I don't understand why suddenly in 2023 my serve started to decline, but that's what happened. During this tournament, and also the latter part of the season, is when I have felt that my serve is starting to come back, that it is back," responded Pere Riba's protege after shining on her own in one of those matches that demanded she bring her best version.

FOLLOWING IN NA LI'S FOOTSTEPS

Zheng's triumph opens the memory box and takes us back to 2023, a season where Na Li became the first Chinese tennis player to advance beyond the group stage of a WTA Finals, also going undefeated in the Round Robin. She would then go on to defeat Petra Kvitova in the semifinals, only to eventually succumb in the title match against Serena Williams (2-6, 6-3, 6-0). Can Qinwen achieve a similar feat? The path looks promising for the native of Shiyan, who will have to wait until tomorrow to find out who her opponent will be next Friday. Gauff? Krejcikova? Swiatek? In her mind, the feeling is that if she can display her top level, it doesn't matter who shows up on the other side of the net. That's how motivated the Chinese player is, especially when her idol Na Li is mentioned.

"I remember it perfectly, it happened eleven years ago, I couldn't be more proud to have achieved that record just like she did," she noted with a smile. "The truth is, when I arrived in Riyadh to compete in these WTA Finals, I wasn't really sure what would happen or how I would fare in the tournament, it's ultimately my first participation in this event. The best part of it all is that I am able to enjoy it on the court, even having fallen into such a challenging group. I don't want to forget the people who come to watch us every day, thank you for being there and supporting us," she concluded after an unforgettable day.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Qinwen: “Soy consciente de mi nivel, sé de lo que soy capaz”