Iga Swiatek and Zheng Qinwen survive three-set tests in China Open third round

BEIJING – Former women’s tennis world No. 1 Iga Swiatek staged a comeback to advance to the last 16 at the China Open on Oct 5, while home hope Zheng Qinwen survived another three-set test in Beijing.

Six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek overcame frustration to cling on as Croatia’s Donna Vekic served for the match twice, dominating a must-win tiebreak to advance 4-6, 7-6 (7-0), 6-2.

“I was just angry, wanted to change something, because clearly it wasn’t working,” the 25-year-old from Poland said on court.

“Sometimes if you care a bit less because you’re... probably going to lose, it also helps you a bit,” she later told reporters.

She will face American teenager Iva Jovic for a spot in the quarter-finals.

China’s Zheng was tested by Marie Bouzkova, enduring her third three-setter of the tournament to beat the Czech player 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 7-5.

She voiced frustration in each set at movement outside the court, including as she tried to salvage the second set on Bouzkova’s serve.

But she pulled out some of her most accurate tennis to clinch the last two games and win the match when 27th-ranked Bouzkova fired long.

“I gave everything,” said Zheng, who had already spent more than five hours on court in the first two rounds.

“Truthfully speaking, I felt a lot of pressure today,” the 23-year-old told her home crowd, thanking fans for their support but commenting on distractions during play.

“Sometimes I’m a bit screaming in Chinese, because I really see you guys are moving, but next match I hope I will be better on this,” she said.

Zheng, the current world No. 54, next plays 118th-ranked Alina Charaeva, who sent out top seed Elena Rybakina in the second round. The Armenian then beat Briton Sonay Kartal 6-4, 6-1 in the round of 32.

Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova also advanced and will face Ekaterina Alexandrova in the last 16.

Coco Gauff, the highest-ranked player left in the women’s draw, was due to play 16-year-old Chinese Sun Xinran later on Oct 5.

Alex de Minaur got the first spot in the men’s final after Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz retired while trailing 4-6, 2-3.

The Australian will face either Novak Djokovic or Daniil Medvedev, as the former world No. 1s were to play each other in a blockbuster semi-final at night.

Djokovic, 39, beat top seed Alexander Zverev in a three-set thriller on Oct 4, extending his unbeaten streak in Beijing to 32 matches. AFP