Rising Chinese star Zheng Qinwen sets Iga Swiatek clash in Stuttgart

James Richardson 17 Apr 2023 3:01 PM

China’s Zheng Qinwen proved too good for American lucky loser Alycia Parks in their first round match at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.

The win ensures that the 20-year-old will serve as the first opponent for world No 1 and defending Stuttgart champion Iga Swiatek.

Zheng was the only woman to take a set off Swiatek during her run to the French Open title in 2022.

Parks had beaten Zheng in their only previous meeting but she avenged that defeat with a clinical victory.

Zheng knew she had to take her chances playing against the big-serving Parks.

The world No 25 faced only one break point against Parks, in the sixth game of the first set. Zheng emphatically saved that break point with an unreturned serve.

“She’s little bit tough to beat because she has a really huge serve,” Zheng said in her post-match interview.

“I mean, that’s difficult for return. I think she have the most fast serve in the tour for the moment.

“Is always more difficult to play against these kind of player because you know once you lose your serve, can be really dangerous. Of course, I need to be really concentrate in her service game because when we have the opportunity, I have to take.

“There’s a couple times in the first set I got a 0-30 opportunity, but I didn’t take it, and I couldn’t make the break. Once I make the break, I think that’s the difference in this match.”

Zheng hopes to take lessons from her French Open loss to Swiatek.

“First time when I meet her, she was No.1 in the world, I was coming from nowhere,” Zheng said of the clash at the French Open.

“First time for me to play in that atmosphere. I think now I get little bit more experience.

“I wish in the next match I can have good performance. I want to show my best tennis. You know, in tennis you never know what’s going to happen. That’s the beauty things of tennis.”

Zheng expressed her desire to play in the main stadium after starting her campaign on Court 1.

She was informed that her huge match with Swiatek will almost certainly receive top billing.

“That’s perfect. I like challenges,” Zheng replied.

Zheng has faced Swiatek twice, both meetings during the 2022 season, with the world No 1 winning three-setters in Paris and San Diego.

Swiatek will take on Zheng on Wednesday in Stuttgart’s Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Round of 16.