By Shrivathsa Sridhar
PARIS (Reuters) -World number one Aryna Sabalenka recovered from a slow start to systematically dismantle Paris Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in a 7-6(3) 6-3 victory on Tuesday that sent her into the French Open semi-finals.
Sabalenka suffered her first loss to Zheng in seven career meetings in the Rome quarter-finals last month and she went behind early in the opening set at a half-full Court Philippe Chatrier.
“It was a true battle and I had no idea how I could break her back and get back into the first set. I didn’t start well and I’m glad I found my rhythm and won,” said Sabalenka, who took a step closer to her maiden French Open title.
“I think we’re all here for one reason. Everyone wants that beautiful trophy. I’m glad I have another opportunity, another semi-final to do better than last time.
“I really hope that by the end of the claycourt season I’m really proud of myself.”
China’s Zheng, bidding to emulate compatriot Li Na’s 2011 triumph at Roland Garros, crushed a powerful forehand winner to break for a 2-1 lead but Sabalenka moved through the gears to level five games later and was denied on set point while up 6-5.
The 27-year-old top seed shrugged off the disappointment to glide through the tiebreak when errors crept into eighth seed Zheng’s game before the players swapped breaks in a high octane second set.
A huge forehand winner put Sabalenka 5-3 up and the three-times Grand Slam champion never looked back as she set up a last-four meeting with either 13th seed Elina Svitolina or four-times champion Iga Swiatek.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Paris; Additional reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Ed Osmond)
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