Aryna Sabalenka highlights the area of Qinwen Zheng’s game that ‘doesn’t make sense’ after beating her at Roland Garros

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Aryna Sabalenka continues her charge toward the Roland Garros title as she wins her quarterfinal match.

The Belarusian WTA star has been a class above in Paris so far, advancing to the last four without dropping a set.

She did, however, face her toughest test yet in the quarterfinals, coming up against China’s Qinwen Zheng.

Sabalenka had lost to Zheng less than a month ago at the Italian Open, 4-6, 3-6, suffering her first career defeat against the 22-year-old.

Looking for revenge, she got her wish, as Sabalenka defeated Zheng, 7-6, 6-3, to book her spot in the Roland Garros semi-finals.

After the match, Sabalenka highlighted the area of Zheng’s game that ‘doesn’t make sense’.

Aryna Sabalenka says Qinwen Zheng’s serve ‘doesn’t make sense’ and finds it ‘tricky’ to read

Speaking to TNT Sports after Sabalenka’s quarterfinal win, former world number one Caroline Wozniacki gave her verdict on Zheng’s serve.

“I feel like the serve whenever I played against her, it is hard to read,” she said.

“It goes to the side and it’s very flat. It felt like in the first set you were struggling a bit more with the returns, but by the second set you calmed down and got a lot more returns in play.”

Sabalenka agreed as she explained why Zheng’s serve is so ‘tricky’ to read.

“It’s very tricky to read her serve, especially with the toss. It doesn’t make sense sometimes, the direction she is going,” she said.

“Also, the wind didn’t really help me because when you are down with a break and the wind, it’s like an extra pressure.

“So I didn’t start my best but I was able to break somehow. I was literally just trying to get the ball somehow on her side and start the point.

“It’s tough to read her serve, and the rhythm was a bit off. You have got to stay really low and just react.

“To not try to read her serve, but try to react. I am really glad I broke her back and got that first set.”

Sabalenka broke back in the first set, before taking the lead 7-6 [7-3], eventually going on to win 7-6, 6-3.

“I am super happy with the win. She played incredibly at the beginning of the first set,” she said.

“Honestly, I felt like okay, whatever, I was just thinking about the second and probably the third set already. But I am super happy that I won in straight sets.”

Sabalenka’s win was her seventh against Zheng, as she regained control of her rivalry with the world number seven.

Only time will tell who will come out on top when Sabalenka and Zheng face off for a ninth time on the WTA Tour.

Sabalenka will now switch her attention to the semi-finals of Roland Garros, where she’ll take on her long-time rival, Iga Swiatek.

Have Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek ever played each other at a Grand Slam?

Swiatek and Sabalenka have traded the number one ranking over the last three years, often entering tournaments at the top two seeds.

• April 4, 2022 – September 10, 2023: Iga Swiatek held the number one ranking (75 weeks)
• September 11, 2023 – November 5, 2023: Aryna Sabalenka held the number one ranking (8 weeks)
• November 6, 2023 – October 20, 2024: Iga Swiatek held the number one ranking (50 weeks)
• October 21, 2024 – Present: Aryna Sabalenka has held the number one ranking (33 weeks)

However, despite their dominance at the top of the women’s game, the pair have contested just one Grand Slam match.

They did so at the US Open in 2022, meeting in the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows.

It was the Belarusian who took the initiative, clinching the first set 6-3, edging one step closer to her maiden Major final.

Not prepared to give up, Swiatek fought back, winning the second set 6-1, forcing a decider.

In a tight third set, Swiatek emerged victorious, winning 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, to advance to her first final at the US Open.

It remains to be seen if history will repeat itself when Swiatek and Sabalenka face off in the semi-finals of Roland Garros.

Swiatek and Sabalenka will battle it out for a place in the final on Thursday, June 5.