China’s Qinwen Zheng says she is ‘disappointed‘ with the level of tennis she produced during her straight-sets loss to Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the Australian Open.
The 21-year-old was beaten 6-2, 6-3, by the Belarussian who has become the first woman in over a decade to win back-to-back titles in Melbourne Park. Zheng, who was playing in her first major final, struggled to find consistency on the court as she was overwhelmed by the power of her opponent. Despite producing 19 winners in the match, she struggled with her second serve where she won only nine out of 24 points played. She also hit 16 unforced errors.
“I think in this match I started pretty slow. I didn’t play my tennis there,” Zheng told reporters.
“I think the difference was the beginning. I couldn’t hold the service game. Then later on, when I got the chance to break her 40-Love up, I was not able to make it.’
“If I play against Sabalenka at this level, if you don’t take this chance the match went away really fast. She’s a really aggressive player. If you let a chance go, it will happen.”
Continuing to express her disappointment, Zheng admitted that she ‘didn’t perform her best‘ which she later described as a ‘pity.’ It is the second Grand Slam in a row where she has been beaten by Sabalenka. At the US Open last September, she managed to take five games off the world No.2 in their quarter-final clash.
“I have to work more on my tennis, also work more on my mental side,” she stated.
“If you lose, there must be a reason behind why you lost and we (Zheng and her team) have to try to figure out why and then come back stronger and better next time.”
The youngster’s route to the final saw her not play a single player in the world’s top 50 in her first six matches. She is only the second woman in the Open Era to have reached the title match in Melbourne without playing a seeded player after Arantxa Sanchez Vicario did so in 1995.
However, this doesn’t take anything from the significance of Zheng’s achievement who will enter into the world’s top 10 for the first time next week. She has only played in nine Grand Slam main draws so far in her career which is 15 less than that of Sabalenka.
“Generally I improved bit by bit,” Zheng reflected.
“I think Sabalenka is one of the most tough opponents I have faced. But I think I need to improve more myself to be able to face this kind of situation for the next time.”
Zheng is only the second Chinese player to have reached an Australian Open final after Li Na.
