China's Zheng clinches first clay-court win of season in Italian Open

ROME, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese tennis star Zheng Qinwen advanced to the third round of the WTA Italian Open on Friday, defeating Serbia's Olga Danilovic 6-1, 6-4 in 90 minutes.

Seeded eighth, Zheng received a first-round bye. Her opponent, world No. 33 Danilovic, had lost to Zheng in straight sets at the 2023 United Cup. Friday's match marked their first clay-court meeting.

Zheng dominated the opening set, racing to a 5-0 lead. Despite facing four break points in the seventh game, she held serve and sealed the set 6-1 with an ace.

The second set saw both players exchange breaks early, with Zheng edging ahead 3-2. She later won four consecutive points to claim the eighth game and closed out the set 6-4, securing her first clay-court win of the season.

"Before going on court, I told myself I needed to be more consistent," Zheng said. "In my last match in Madrid, I had too many unforced errors, so today my goal was to stay steady first, then look for chances to attack. I feel like I stuck to my game plan well."

Looking ahead to the Rome tournament and the French Open, Zheng emphasized mental composure: "When my emotions get too restless, it affects my performance on court. Now, my goal is to quiet my mind and take it one match at a time." ■