Zheng Qinwen Routs Jasmine Paolini To Advance To Semifinals At WTA Finals

Zheng Qinwen cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 win over Jasmine Paolini to reach semifinals of WTA Finals on Wednesday.

Zheng needed just over an hour to defeat Paolini in match that decided final qualifier from Purple Group at season-ending tournament for top-ranked women's players. Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka also vanced from group.

It was Zheng's fourth win in as many matches against Italian. 22-year-old Chinese h 12 aces and broke Paolini's serve five times.

“It's one of best performances I h during this year,” Zheng said. “I'm really proud. I played in a really difficult group.”

Zheng is youngest player to reach semifinals in her first appearance at WTA Finals since Petra Kvitova in 2011. It’s her seventh semifinal of year and first time she has beaten two top-10 opponents in same tournament. She h defeated Elena Rybakina on Monday.

Zheng has won 30 matches since Wimbledon, clinching Olympic gold medal in Paris and winning titles in Palermo and Tokyo.

She could become second player to win singles gold medal and reach WTA Finals championship match in same season since tennis returned to Olympics in 1988, after Serena Williams in 2012.

Paolini finished season 38-19, having me finals of French Open and Wimbledon.