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SCMP Sport

Agencies

Zheng Qinwen said she would not be overacting to slumping out of Wimbledon in the first round for the third year running, calling her defeat at the hands of Katerina Siniakova “just another match I lost on grass”.
The fifth seed was beaten 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 by the world No 81, the second time in three years Siniakova has knocked her out in the opening round.
While Siniakova is ranked far lower in singles, the Czech Republic player is the world’s best women’s doubles player, and has won 10 grand slams, including three at Wimbledon, so is no pushover on grass.
Still, Zheng wasted a 5-3 lead in the first set and was brushed aside in the third.
“I believe if I get through the first match, I will start to play better and better [on grass],” said Zheng, who proved she could play on grass by reaching the semi-finals at Queen’s Club last month.
“The problem is the first match for me is complicated. But also for myself, I made the match complicated.”

The 22-year-old’s latest Wimbledon challenge was over in two hours and 25 minutes on Court Three. It was the fourth time in her past six grand slam appearances that Zheng had been unable to advance past the third round.
A run of early losses in slams was interrupted by reaching the quarter-final at last year’s US Open and this year’s French Open. After finishing as Australian Open runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka last year, Zheng won Olympic gold on the Paris clay.
“I don’t consider that it’s such a challenge for me to play on grass,” Zheng said. “Maybe it’s I just should put my level a bit more high today because I gave her a lot on my service games, especially when I was leading 5-3 in the first set.
“I had a lot of chances but just didn’t take them. I’m not going to let this get into my head. It’s just another match I lost here on grass, OK. I’m just going to see what’s coming in the future, and I will always keep fighting.”
Meanwhile, on Centre Court, 20-year-old Alexandra Eala – the first woman from the Philippines to play at Wimbledon – gave defending champion Barbora Krejcikova a fright before losing in three sets.
Siniakova’s countrywoman Krejcikova initially had no answer to the confident, free-swinging Eala.
Anyone watching the first set would have been hard-pressed to identify who was the defending champion and who was the Centre Court debutant.
A shock winner as 31st seed last year and seeded 17th this time, Krejcikova arrived short on form after a succession of injuries.
But she fought back to triumph 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 on her return to Centre Court.
Eala turned 20 in May and was making her first Wimbledon appearance, but she immediately looked at home in the daunting surroundings of the sport’s most iconic court with an impressive opening service game.
Krejcikova forced the first break in the third game, but Eala hit straight back, swinging her lefty forehand freely and throwing in a beautifully disguised drop shot.
She then upped the ante, holding confidently and breaking again as her two-fisted backhand came to the fore. From 2-1 down with a break against, Eala reeled off four games in a row.
The champion just about held serve after six deuces but Eala was not to be denied and served out to take the first set.
Krejcikova, who won the French Open in 2021, appeared to have a physical and mental reboot for the second set, showing much more energy and finding her serving range.
With Eala also starting to lose her radar and with her lightweight serve being punished, her opponent swept to a 5-0 lead, though the youngster showed impressive grit to keep at it, before losing it 6-2.
It was relatively straightforward from then, as a tired-looking Eala’s error count rose and Krejcikova raced home in confident style.

Earlier, China’s Wang Xinyu eased past another Czech, Karolina Muchova, 7-5, 6-2 to reach the second round.
The 23-year-old maintained her form from last month’s grass-court Berlin Open, in which she reached her first WTA Tour final, seeing off four top-20 players in a row.
Men’s world No 1 Jannik Sinner eased effortlessly into the second round, as neither the stifling heat nor fellow Italian Luca Nardi could knock him out of his comfort zone in a 6-4, 6-3, 6-0 victory.


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Wimbledon

Wimbledon: Zheng Qinwen says shock Siniakova defeat ‘just another match I lost on grass’

China’s Zheng Qinwen walks off the court after losing her first-round match to Katerina Siniakova. Photo: Reuters

Alexandra Eala of the Philippines battles Barbora Krejcikova on day two at Wimbledon. Photo: AFP

Wang Xinyu in Wimbledon action on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

Wimbledon: Zheng Qinwen out to end first-round woes, ‘fully prepared’ for Siniakova clash

Zheng Qinwen has not made it past the first round at Wimbledon since her debut in 2022. Photo: Xinhua

Katerina Siniakova has won three women’s doubles titles at Wimbledon. Photo: AP

Wimbledon draw: Zheng Qinwen turns to Nadal coach, with Osaka, Sabalenka waiting

China’s Zheng Qinwen arrives for a practice session at Wimbledon alongside coach Francisco Roig. Photo: Handout

Rafael Nadal with Franciso Roig after one of his French Open wins. Photo: Handout

Zheng Qinwen’s off-court earnings set to top US$30 million after signing up 15th sponsor

Zheng Qinwen at an event organised by one of her sponsors, Rolex, during the China Open last September. Photo: Getty Images

Zheng Qinwen, who is a brand ambassador for Audi, at Auto Guangzhou 2024. Photo: Getty Images

Sport

Tennis

Fifth seed knocked out in first round for the third year running, but says she won’t let it ‘get in my head’


Fifth seed knocked out in first round for the third year running, but says she won’t let it ‘get in my head’.


Wimbledon: Zheng Qinwen says shock Siniakova defeat ‘just another match I lost on grass’

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Fifth seed knocked out in first round for the third year running, but says she won’t let it ‘get in my head’

Fifth seed knocked out in first round for the third year running, but says she won’t let it ‘get in my head’