Photo credit: Internazionali BNL d'Italia Facebook
Sailing another forehand, Aryna Sabalenka kicked at the dirt in frustration like a woman admonishing a dance partner for stepping on her toes.
Playing on point under pressure, Zheng Qinwen choreographed a classic upset.
In a rematch of the 2024 Australian Open final, Zheng saved all five break points she faced, stunning world No. 1 Sabalenka 6-4, 6-3 to power into the Rome semifinals.
Bidding to become the first woman to reach semifinals at Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Rome in the same season, Sabalenka has been the gold standard this season.
The Olympic gold-medal champion was simply too strong for the Madrid champion in their first clay-court clash.
The eighth-seeded Zheng will play fourth-seeded Coco Gauff for a spot in the final.
WTA Finals champion Gauff defeated Indian Wells champion Mirra Andreeva 6-4, 7-6(5)—her fourth win over the 18-year-old Russian in as many meetings. Gauff has won both prior meetings against Zheng, including a 7-6(4), 6-1victory in Rome last May.
Denying a couple of break points, Zheng earned a hard-fought hold for 2-all. Then turned the screws on Sabalenka’s serve.
A slick backhand drop shot winner wrapped around a pair of Sabalenka netted forehands helped Zheng earn first-break blood at love for 3-2.
Though Sabalenka had more break points in the set (3 to 1), she also scattered some untimely errors trying to squeeze big blasts near the lines.
Serving for the set, Zheng zapped successive aces. Zheng coaxed a couple of forehand errors to snatch the opening set in 51 minutes.
Zheng, who had lost 12 of 13 prior sets vs. the top seed, took a set from Sabalenka for the first time since the 2024 Wuhan final.
A sloppy Sabalenka was missing trying to change direction down the line. Zheng exploited a rough game from the Belarusian breaking to start the second set.
Early in the second game, chair umpire Marija Cicak hit Sabalenka with a code violation warning for audible obscenity. Driving the ball with authority, Zheng stamped her third love game of the match confirming the break for 2-0.
Still, Sabalenka showed champion’s character as she fought off four break points with some of her finest forehand strikes down the line holding for 3-4.
The US Open champion’s last stand came in the eighth game. Sabalenka went up 15-40 on Zheng’s serve and was one good swing from leveling the set.
On this day, Zheng was one step quicker and one shot sharper.
The eighth-seeded Chinese saved both break points then drew two tight forehands from Sabalenka as she held strong for 5-3. By then, Zheng had saved all five break points she faced.
That hold really broke Sabalenka. Zheng rocketed a return right off the baseline earning triple match point as Sabalenka waved her hands in an “it’s just not my day” expression of angst.
On her second match point, Zheng closed on Sabalenka’s third double fault of the day.
Zheng danced all over her winless streak against Sabalenka, and now she aims to break through against Gauff and high-step into the final.