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Zheng Qinwen qualified for her maiden Grand Slam final at the 2024 Australian Open without facing a single top-50-ranked opponent.
Zheng Qinwen is seeded No. 12 at the 2024 Australian Open and began her campaign with a hard-fought 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory over World No. 76 Ashlyn Krueger. The Chinese then went on to oust World No. 54 Katie Boulter 6-3, 6-3; World No. 94 Wang Yafan 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (8); World No. 95 Oceane Dodin 6-0, 6-3; and World No. 75 Anna Kalinskaya 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-1.
Zheng won her semifinal match against World No. 93 and qualifier Dayana Yastremska 6-4, 6-4, on Thursday, January 25. By qualifying for the title match, the 21-year-old ensured that she would break into the top 10 of the WTA Rankings for the first time in her career.
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Tennis fans were amused by Zheng Qinwen's path to the final and were surprised that she had faced no top 50 opponents en route to the biggest match of her career to date. Many fans praised the Chinese for doing her job, defeating the players she was expected to defeat and not faltering like other higher-ranked and seeded players in her section of the draw. Others even opined that she saved the top half of the women's singles draw.
"Qinwen Zheng's run to the #AusOpen F: #76, #54, #94, #95, #75 #93. That's an average ranking of #81. You can only beat who's in front of you, but this undoubtedly the easiest path to a Slam final ever," a fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
"Well somebody had to show up to work in the top half of the draw," commented another fan.
"Not facing any Top 50 player en route to a Slam final is crazy," a fan wrote.
"I hate this. it’s not Qinwen’s fault the seeds decided to flop. you still have to go out there and play the matches you’re given. and winning 6 matches in a row is still difficult, and especially so when you are expected to go through," a fan posted.
Here are a few more fan reactions to Zheng Qinwen's path to the Australian Open final:
Zheng Qinwen to face Aryna Sabalenka in Australian Open final
Zheng Qinwen will face her first seeded player at the 2024 Australian Open when she fights for the title with No. 2 seed and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the final on Saturday, January 27. This will be the second WTA tour meeting between the two players.
Sabalenka and Zheng met in the quarterfinals of the 2023 US Open. The Belarusian easily defeated the Chinese star 6-1, 6-4. This was Zheng's first-ever Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Unlike Zheng, Sabalenka has faced several seeded and top 50 opponents on her way to the final. The 25-year-old has not dropped a set so far in Melbourne and ousted Ella Seidel, Brenda Fruhvirtova, No. 28 seed Lesia Tsurenko, Amanda Anisimova, No. 9 seed Barbora Krejcikova, and No. 4 seed Coco Gauff.
