Zheng confused Sabalenka with her versatility, as the Chinese 25-year-old constantly changed pace and mixed up shots to neutralize the Belarusian’s power game. Zheng sent her groundstrokes deep and dug balls from every corner against the second-seeded Sabalenka, who became increasingly frustrated by not being able to cope with her opponent’s tactic.
While Zheng stayed steady and patient, Sabalenka couldn’t keep her nerves under control. After the match, the runner-up commented:
I couldn’t do anything today with myself. I couldn’t control my emotions. I was screaming some (stuff), I was throwing the rackets. Her game destroyed me because I couldn’t use my power.