Tim Henman was very impressed with Qinwen Zheng’s performance at the WTA Finals.
The 22-year-old is keen to end her fine season by clinching the season-ending championship on her debut appearance.
Zheng’s journey continued by booking her spot in the semi-finals following an emphatic victory over two-time Grand Slam runner-up Jasmine Paolini.
The Olympic champion will face either Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek or Barbora Krejčíková in the next round.
What does Tim Henman not want people to forget about Qinwen Zheng?
Qinwen Zheng produced one of her cleanest performances of the year as she swept aside Paolini to reach the last four at the WTA Finals.
In Zheng’s 67-minute 6-1, 6-1 victory, she struck 12 aces to extend her lead as the player on the WTA Tour player with the most aces in 2024.
She was zoned in right from the outset and after watching her courtside, Tim Henman urged fans to remember just how strong Zheng is mentally.
“We are very fortunate to be able to sit courtside and yes you get to see her power and her ball striking and her speed,” Henman told Sky Sports. “But let’s not forget her mentality. Her concentration is relentless. There is no let up.
“There were a couple of bangs on her racket with her shoe but that emphasises what a perfectionist she is. She wants to play every point to the best of her abilities. You look at her game and she has engrained so many good habits.
“I still think she can play a bit closer to the baseline. Her preparation on her forehand is a little bit late, that’s where she can be rushed. I think that’s emphasised by playing a lot on clay, but her serve and the way she is hitting her spots really is a huge weapon.”
Qinwen Zheng equals Petra Kvitova record at WTA Finals
In what is her first appearance at the WTA Finals, Zheng has reached the final four.
She has continued her fine form since the US Open, where she has reached at least the quarter-finals of every event she has entered, which culminated in Zheng taking the title in Tokyo.
With her latest win, Zheng is the first player since Petra Kvitova in 2011 to reach the last four on her WTA Finals debut.
That year the Czech player won the first of her two Wimbledon titles and she also went on to win the season-ending championships.
Zheng will aim to do the same, and she certainly has the form and abilities to do so.
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