By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Saturday, August 24, 2024
Photo: Matthew Calvis
NEW YORK –Zheng Qinwen made inspired history in the red clay of Paris.
The Olympic gold medalist aims to avoid embarrassing history on the hard courts of New York.
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A smiling Zheng made history by sweeping Croatia’s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 on Court Philippe Chatrier to become the first Chinese player to win an Olympic gold medal in tennis earlier this month.
Seventh-seeded Zheng faces one tough test of the first round of the US Open against the former French Open semifinalist Amanda Anisimova in a battle of big hitters set for Monday at 11 a.m. at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
“The mindset of the US Open is just trying to perform as well as I can in every match,” Zheng told the media. “I don’t have much to say, because when I understand if I just focus on one game at a time, that’s the best I can do. Yeah, I can’t think too far ahead.”
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Australian Open finalist Zheng showed her killer down-the-line hitting ability and competitive composure by roaring through seven of the last eight games to upset Polish world No. 1 Iga Swiatek 6-2, 7-5 in the semifinals of the Olympic Paris.
Playing with poise and power, Zheng made history by reaching the gold medal match in her Olympic debut. The 21-year-old Zheng snapped Swiatek’s 25-match winning streak at Roland Garros to do so.
Zheng can play heavier spins than some of her Top 10 rivals and is willing to run long baseline rallies. The challenge for Zheng is adapting her big swings to the faster, stronger courts at the US Open.
Zheng said her Olympic gold medal is a mental safety net: She is focused on maintaining the high level she showed in Paris next week in New York.
“I had a lot of ups and downs after Australia, because I say I lost some motivation, I’m different in practice,” said Zheng. “And after I won the Olympic gold medals, the first thing I told myself is that I want to keep my motivation active. I don’t want to let myself slip again.
“I really want to improve on my mental side once again. It’s bad how you stay level when you become a champion and just keep winning, winning, winning, instead of relaxing and letting yourself lose an easy match.
“If I’m able to do that, I think I’ll really break a wall that I have for myself. I’m just trying to work hard on my mental side. I hope I can perform this time as well.”
If Zheng beats the dangerous Anisimova in her opener, she would be on pace to face Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska, whom Zheng beat 6-4, 6-4 in the Australian Open semi-finals, in a clash of the third round of the US Open, followed by a possible fourth. -Round match against Vekic in what would be a rematch of the Olympic gold medal final.
