The 2024 US Open women's singles quarterfinals were held between Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen and last year's US Open runner-up Sabalenka. This highly anticipated duel ended with Zheng Qinwen losing 1-6, 2-6, and the game took 1 hour and 12 minutes. Looking back at Zheng Qinwen's performance so far in the 2024 season, her Olympic gold medal, Australian Open runner-up and Palermo station championship will inspire her to keep moving forward and strive for the qualification for the WTA year-end finals.

Who is Sabalenka?

Aryna Sabalenka is a professional tennis player from Belarus, known for her powerful playing style, aggressive baseline game, and strong serve. She has been ranked among the top players in women's tennis, often competing at the highest levels of Grand Slam tournaments and the WTA Tour.

Sabalenka gained prominence in singles and doubles, winning major titles in both categories. She is known for her intense on-court presence and big-hitting game, which often overwhelms her opponents. Sabalenka has been a key figure in the new generation of women’s tennis players, frequently in the spotlight for her performances and distinctive style.

Sabalenka has the fastest ball speed, while Zheng Qinwen has the most ACE balls

This is a match that was highly anticipated before the game. As a Grand Slam champion and runner-up of last year's US Open, Sabalenka is in a fierce state at this year's US Open. Data shows that her average forehand ball speed at this year's US Open is faster than the top three men's singles seeds Sinner, Alcaraz and Djokovic, ranking first in the US Open. Sabalenka happily said: "I feel a little uncomfortable to be at the top of the list. It's a very interesting data that I hit the ball faster than the male players."

Zheng Qinwen has an advantage in the number of ACE balls (a serve in which one of the two sides of the game serves and the ball lands in the effective area, but the other side does not touch the ball and directly scores). Before the US Open quarter-finals, Zheng Qinwen served 49 ACE balls, ranking first in the US Open women's singles. In terms of forehand return speed, Zheng Qinwen is only slightly inferior to Sabalenka. Zheng Qinwen lost to Sabalenka twice before, in the quarterfinals of the US Open last year and the final of the Australian Open this year. Zheng Qinwen used mountains to describe and pay tribute to Sabalenka before the game: "To become a top player, I must climb over the mountains of other top players, and she is such a mountain."

Zheng Qinwen's serve weapon did not fail in the stalemate

Zheng Qinwen found her own mountain, but failed to find a way to climb over it. At the beginning of the first set, Zheng Qinwen and Sabalenka made a common choice, which was to attack the opponent's weak second serve. This was also the method that Gauff finally reversed and defeated Sabalenka in the US Open final last year. Sabalenka's attack on Zheng Qinwen's serve was effective. Zheng Qinwen only served one ace ball in the first set under pressure. Sabalenka pressed Zheng Qinwen's second serve step by step, Zheng Qinwen's return error rate increased significantly, and Sabalenka achieved consecutive breaks.

On the other hand, Zheng Qinwen failed to really force a break point in Sabalenka's serve. After Sabalenka's fluctuations, she was able to rely on her forehand offensive to resolve the crisis and won the first set 6-1. In the second set, Zheng Qinwen improved slightly in serving and served 4 aces. In addition, her first serve success rate improved slightly, but she still failed to break the serve and eventually lost to her opponent 2-6.

The match only took 1 hour and 12 minutes, and the expected stalemate did not appear. Zheng Qinwen's serve failed to work throughout the game, which was the biggest reason for the failure. Her first serve success rate in the first set was only 31%, and the number of aces she served was 5, which was also the lowest in this year's US Open. In the final of last year's US Open, Gauff successfully forced Sabalenka to make more unforced errors. In this quarter-final, Zheng Qinwen made 20 unforced errors, one more than Sabalenka. With this victory, Sabalenka entered the Grand Slam semi-finals for the ninth time in her career. Sabalenka currently maintains a 10-game winning streak and will compete with Navarro for a place in the US Open final.

Give yourself 80 points for your US Open performance and strive for a place in the year-end finals next

On Zheng Qinwen's way to the final, she defeated players such as Anisimova and Vekic, who all had an advantage in the head-to-head record with Sabalenka. After Zheng Qinwen fought hard to advance to the US Open quarterfinals, she fell to Sabalenka for the third time. Zheng Qinwen also admitted that the two sides have some conflicting styles of play. "Sabalenka is indeed a world-class player. Her style of play does restrain me. I can't go head-to-head against a power player like her. The coach also formulated several tactics for me before the game, but unfortunately it didn't work."

In the 2024 season, tennis fans have seen Zheng Qinwen who is getting more and more courageous. After being eliminated early in the Grand Slam in the previous two years, Zheng Qinwen reached the final of the Australian Open this year; after losing to the world No. 1 Swiatek six times, Zheng Qinwen won the most important Olympic victory on the red clay court of the French Open. After being eliminated from the US Open this year, Zheng Qinwen's new goal is to get a ticket to the WTA year-end finals through the next Chinese season.

Zheng Qinwen said: "My US Open journey is over. If I give myself a score, I will give myself 80 points. This quarterfinal result is also tied with my best result in the US Open. Although I failed to break through history, this is also the price of growth. I will not be discouraged. I will get up wherever I fall."

Post-match interview

Zheng Qinwen said after the game: "I think next time I play against her, maybe I should do better in the stalemate and play more relaxed, because today I obviously entered the game with a lot of nervousness. Of course, she played very aggressively, but she would occasionally make mistakes. I remember there was a short ball at the beginning, and I could have opened the angle. But I did feel better than the previous two times, even though the scores were relatively close. Today I felt it was a critical moment. But it doesn't matter, this is tennis."

In the whole game, Zheng Qinwen had only one break opportunity, which appeared in the third game of the first set, but failed to seize the opportunity; while the opponent made 4 of 8 break opportunities. The two still have a gap in experience in the ability to create and seize key points.

"I think I should handle the key points better, because there were many deuces in this match. In the beginning, I had many break points, but I didn't succeed. I felt a little tight today, and my serve didn't meet my expectations."

Zheng Qinwen said that the previous match lasted until 2:15 a.m. local time. "You know, my last match ended very late. If I lack sleep, I won't have enough energy, so I didn't practice yesterday. But I think my ball control today is better than the last match, but I didn't seize the opportunity on some key points. Although the score is like this, I think I should do better." Zheng Qinwen and Sabalenka have faced each other three times, twice in the US Open quarterfinals and once in the Australian Open final. These are the peak duels in the world women's tennis today. The gold content of the game is very high and it is worth studying carefully. 

Sabalenka is indeed a world-class player. Her style of play does have some restraint on me. I can't go head-to-head against a power player like her. The coach also gave me several sets of tactics before the game, but unfortunately they didn't work," Zheng Qinwen said. "I admit that there is a gap between my strength and my opponent, but I only won 3 games in two sets, which is not my normal level. I made too many unforced errors, and I didn't grasp many key points. In addition, my first serve success rate was too low, and my serve reception was also very poor. I need to go back and summarize."

The world No. 7 made it to the US Open quarterfinals. Zheng Qinwen's performance deserves her ranking. It takes time and experience to go further, and she can't rush it. But with her physical condition and ball IQ, it is only a matter of time before she wins the Grand Slam championship trophy.

"My US Open journey is over. If I were to rate myself, I'd give myself 80 points. This quarterfinal result is equal to my best result at the US Open. Although I failed to break the record, this is also the price of growth. I won't be discouraged. I will get up where I fell." Zheng Qinwen said, "I have tried my best. Of course, I could have done better today, but after today I will forget about this game and move on."

Tactical Breakdown: How Sabalenka Overpowered Zheng

The tactical battle in this match was fascinating. Sabalenka’s game plan was clear: control the baseline, dictate the pace, and push Zheng into defensive positions where she couldn’t generate her own power.

Sabalenka’s Strategy: Power and Precision

Sabalenka’s aggressive play was a masterclass in executing a high-risk, high-reward strategy. Her forehand, particularly cross-court, was lethal, forcing Zheng to cover large portions of the court. This relentless pressure forced errors from Zheng, who often found herself scrambling and unable to set up her shots properly.

Sabalenka’s serve was another crucial factor. She consistently hit the 110-120 mph range, making it difficult for Zheng to return aggressively. Watching Sabalenka serve reminded me of practicing against a player with a similarly powerful serve—every return felt like it was all or nothing. Sabalenka’s placement and speed left Zheng guessing, and that unpredictability made it tough for the young Chinese star to mount a consistent counterattack.

Zheng’s Response: Moments of Brilliance but Inconsistent Execution

Zheng Qinwen has the tools to compete with the best, and we saw glimpses of that in this match. She has a smooth, compact backhand that she used effectively to redirect Sabalenka’s power, especially during the second set. Her movement was impressive, and at times, she managed to turn defense into offense with swift transitions and precise shot placement.

However, the inconsistency in Zheng’s game was apparent. She struggled with her first serve, often giving Sabalenka easy looks on her second serve. A few missed opportunities, particularly during key break points, highlighted a lack of experience in high-pressure moments. I recall working with young players who faced similar challenges; it’s not just about having the shots but knowing when and how to use them. Zheng’s shot selection at critical junctures was sometimes questionable, often going for too much or not enough.

Conclusion: A Battle of Growth and Experience

The match between Zheng Qinwen and Aryna Sabalenka at the US Open was more than just a scoreline—it was a snapshot of where both players are in their respective journeys. Sabalenka’s experience and power were too much for Zheng on this occasion, but the young Chinese player showed she has the potential to compete at the highest level.

What’s Next?

For Sabalenka, it’s about maintaining her form and pushing toward that elusive Grand Slam title. For Zheng, it’s back to the drawing board with invaluable lessons in hand. These matches, while tough, are where future champions are forged.

Final Thoughts: The Future is Bright

Both players have a lot to offer, and if this match is any indication, the future of women’s tennis is in good hands. Zheng Qinwen may have lost this battle, but with the right adjustments and mindset, she’ll win many more in the future. Sabalenka, on the other hand, continues to be a force to be reckoned with—a reminder that experience, power, and mental toughness are a hard combination to beat.

This article is a look at not just a match, but at the journey of two players at different stages of their careers. Let’s keep an eye on both; they’re bound to give us many more thrilling moments on the court!

Next, Zheng Qinwen will also compete in the Guadalajara tournament in Mexico. After that, she will return to China to compete in the China Open and the subsequent Wuhan Open, two WTA 1000-level tournaments. If she achieves good results in these two tournaments, Zheng Qinwen still has a chance to secure a spot in the year-end finals.