China's Zheng beats Sabalenka for the first time to reach Italian Open semifinals

ROME -- China's Zheng Qinwen claimed a straight-sets victory over top seed Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals of the WTA Italian Open on Wednesday, reaching the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event for the third time in her career.

The two players had met six times previously, with Sabalenka winning on each occasion. This match marked their first encounter on clay.

In the opening set, both players held serve through the first three games, with Sabalenka leading 2-1. In the fourth game, Zheng saved two break points to hold, and then won four consecutive points in the fifth game to score a crucial break. Over the next four games, both players held serve, leaving Zheng ahead 5-4. In the 10th game, Zheng fired down two aces and took the set 6-4.

In the second set, Zheng carried her momentum forward, breaking serve in the first game and then reeling off four straight points to take the second game. The following four games saw both players hold, with Zheng maintaining a 4-2 lead. Sabalenka saved four break points in the seventh game to narrow the gap, but Zheng stayed strong, holding serve and then breaking again to close out the match 6-3, reaching the semifinals in Rome for the first time.