China: Zheng reaches French Open last eight
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
Zheng Qinwen celebrates after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Less than a year after her historic Olympic triumph on the Paris clay, Chinese sensation Zheng Qinwen recorded her best result at the French Open, reaching the quarterfinals with a 7-6 (5), 1-6, 6-3 victory over Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova on Sunday.
Although Zheng trailed Samsonova 2-3 in their head-to-head record entering the match, one of her two wins came easily on clay in Palermo in 2021.
This time, the Australian Open finalist had to battle for nearly three hours to secure the win.
The first set stayed on serve through six games before the players exchanged breaks over the next four. Tied at 5-5 in the tiebreak, Zheng held her nerve, striking a patient inside-in forehand winner and then forcing Samsonova to net a shot to close out the grueling 76-minute set.
Samsonova responded strongly in the second, breaking Zheng twice and serving out the set. Zheng struggled with the Russian’s wide angles and squandered seven break point opportunities.
Regrouping in the final set, Zheng broke Samsonova in the sixth game when the Russian sent a backhand down the line long.
Serving for the match at 5-3, Zheng fell behind 0-30 but reeled off four straight points, sealing victory after a forehand error from Samsonova.
Zheng will next face the winner of the match between top seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Amanda Anisimova of the United States.
The 22-year-old made her Roland Garros debut in 2022, pushing eventual champion Iga Swiatek in a hard-fought fourth-round match that ended 6-7(5), 6-0, 6-2. ■
Zheng Qinwen returns a shot during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Zheng Qinwen hits a return during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Zheng Qinwen returns a shot during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Zheng Qinwen (R) signs autographs after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Zheng Qinwen serves during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Liudmila Samsonova hits a return during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Supporters of Zheng Qinwen react after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen signs autographs for supporters after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Liudmila Samsonova reacts during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Liudmila Samsonova hits a return during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen hits a return during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen gestures during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Liudmila Samsonova serves during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen signs autographs for supporters after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Liudmila Samsonova hits a return during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen hits a return during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen reacts during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen serves during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen hits a return during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen serves during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen (L) of China greets Liudmila Samsonova of Russia after the women’s singles 4th round match at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen celebrates after the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen reacts during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Liudmila Samsonova hits a return during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Liudmila Samsonova reacts during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Zheng Qinwen reacts during the women’s singles 4th round match between Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and Zheng Qinwen of China at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Reference Link:- https://english.news.cn/20250601/e4dc30ecd6c84f36a773135056e2ade1/c.html
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
