Italian Open: Zheng Qinwen defeats world number one Aryna Sabalenka to enter semifinals

China's Zheng Jinwen shocked the world's No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-4 6-3 to play the Italian Open semi-final against Coco Gauff.

Olympic champion Zheng Wei lost all six meetings with Sabalenka, breaking the Belarusian position to lead 3-2 before ending the first set.

The eighth seed then took a crucial break in Sabalenka's second set service match to open the route to victory.

Sabalenka performed well in the fifth and seventh games of the scene, but Zheng, 22, continued to stick to the first semifinal of the season.

Zheng told Sky Sports that I have not reached the semi-finals for a long time. ”

“It wasn’t easy for me because at the beginning of the year, I struggled with my arms.

“So now I have a perfect figure and keep trying to play better tennis.”

Gauff earlier defeated Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva until the top four.

The 21-year-old American breezes over Britain's Emma Raducanu on Monday, defeating the seventh seed Andreeva 6-4 7-6 (7-5) on Clay and keeps running on Clay.

Former French Open finalist Gauff was guaranteed to be the world's second-place new ranking, surpassing Iga Swiatek, which won nine out of nineteen games on Clay, which would be the IGA Swiatek.

“I'm confident to get to the semifinals. I don't think there are some points today that I'm going to be at my best, but I still managed to succeed.”

Andreeva let her frustration boil 3-3 of the opening ceremony, throwing the racket to the floor and waving to her team after sending the forehand online.

The 18-year-old immediately recovered to back off when Gauff led 5-3, but she was unable to serve again as the opponent wrapped up the scene.

She looks dangerous, i.e. let the game slip away at the start of the second time, serving with a regaining focus to counter and forcing a tiebreak.

However, it was the 2023 U.S. Open champion who beat it as Andreeva sent a backhand long gift to Goff to win one hour and 42 minutes later.