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Zheng slays giant, again
By Yu Yilei (China Daily Staff Writer)
Updated: 2008-09-27 08:47 China's Zheng Jie took another major step forward in her tennis career on Friday with a shock win over second-seeded Ana Ivanovic of Serbia to book a semifinal place at the China Open.
Cheered on by a frenzied home crowd, the Chinese tennis phenomenon stood up against the world No 4 to emerge victorious after a tussle that lasted nearly three hours to win 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-4. She will next face Russian world No 7 Svetlana Kuznetsova who brushed aside Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-4. It is the first semifinal appearance for Zheng in a WTA Tour Tier II event. Her Friday win also helped the 25-year-old Sichuan native equal the best result of local players in the tournament - compatriot Peng Shuai had entered the semis in the 2006 edition. Ivanovic is the second world top 10 player who fell victim to Zheng here after Poland's world No 10 Agnieszka Radwanska in the first round. Zheng is set to surpass her personal best ranking at 27, which she reached on Aug 14, 2006, in the newly released rankings. That means the petite player will become Asia's top player and China's No 1, leaping past Japanese veteran Ai Sugiyama (28) who she defeated in the second round here and teammate Li Na (29) who fell in the first round. Friday was also the birthday of Zheng's husband and coach Zhang Yu, who pumped his fist in the air after she sealed the match point. "This is probably the best birthday gift I can give to him," a beaming Zheng said. Ivanovic was eager for a revenge win over Zheng, who upset her in Wimbledon this year in straight sets. But she was apparently no match for the determined Zheng, who drove the ball all round the court and swung the Serb from side to side in the decider. "She was really aggressive and she was dominating a lot. I wasn't realizing I was running a lot, but after the match when I talked to my coach, he was saying that, probably, I should have been more aggressive," Ivanovic said. Kuznetsova, the 2006 champion, now stands between Zheng and a final place. The Russian won their only encounter 6-0, 6-1 at Doha in 2006. Kuznetsova's compatriot Vera Zvonareva also advanced by routing Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-0, 6-1 in just over 51 minutes. She will take on top seed Jelena Jankovic, who won Slovak Daniela Hantuchova. It was a disastrous day for top seeds in the men's round as Israel's Dudi Sela upset sixth seed Tommy Robredo of Spain 6-4, 6-1. Sela will face Rainer Schuettler of Germany, who upset French world No 12 Richard Gasquet 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Third seed and defending champion Fernando Gonzalez of Chile was also knocked out by Germany's Bjorn Phau 6-3, 6-4, 6-3. |
