Asian Games: China’s Zheng Qinwen wins gold in women’s singles after beating compatriot Zhu Lin
- Title caps breakthrough year for 20-year-old in which she reached US Open quarter-finals beating world No 7 Ons Jabeur on the way
- Zheng downs compatriot Zhu Lin in straight sets, winning 6-2, 6-2 in Hangzhou
US Open quarter-finalist Zheng Qinwen won a battle of the top seeds to clinch the Asian Games women’s tennis gold on Friday and burnish her fast-growing reputation.
The 20-year-old, China’s brightest young tennis star, battled through the Hangzhou heat to outlast teammate Zhu Lin and seal the title 6-2, 6-4 in 1 hour and 44 minutes.
It caps a breakthrough year for Zheng, who beat world No 7 Ons Jabeur en route to the last eight at Flushing Meadows this month before crashing to top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka.
In May, she reached a career-high 19 in the world and two months later won her first WTA title.
“The feeling was incredible. I’m really happy about that,” Zheng said. “That was not an easy match, today and also yesterday. All of them are good fighters.”
Now under the wing of Naomi Osaka’s former coach Wim Fissette, who has also worked with Victoria Azarenka and Simona Halep, Zheng’s blend of power and precision proved decisive in the final against Zhu.
