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What a season it has been for Zheng Qinwen.
Coming into final week’s 500-level Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, the 22-year-old had already gained Olympic singles gold and the title in Palermo, and reached the ultimate on the Australian Open and on the 1000-level occasion in Wuhan.
And he or she confirmed no indicators of slowing down in Japan.
The highest seed on the match, Zheng was dominant all through the week — shedding only one set — and escaped a all of a sudden resurgent Sofia Kenin within the closing on Sunday for a 7-6 (5), 6-3 victory. Zheng had 16 aces and was by no means damaged (and confronted only one break level) within the match that lasted slightly below two hours.
A bag stuffed with tips 🪄#TorayPPO2024 pic.twitter.com/vJ701t5Q30
— wta (@WTA) October 27, 2024
Having reached her first WTA closing on the occasion in 2022, the win felt like a full-circle second for Zheng.
“I actually recognize that I will struggle by means of and be the champion in Tokyo,” Zheng mentioned after the match. “That is the one I needed to get after I was 19 years previous. I [fought] so onerous, however I did not, I misplaced within the [2022] closing. So this yr, I am simply actually joyful.”
Zheng is now an astounding 28-4 since Wimbledon, and would be the No. 7 seed on the upcoming WTA Finals. It marks her first time qualifying for the celebrated year-end occasion, which will get underway on Nov. 2 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and few will deliver as a lot confidence or momentum to the match.
Whereas Kenin misplaced within the closing, she nonetheless had a lot to be ok with. The 25-year-old American has largely struggled since profitable her solely main title on the 2020 Australian Open, and was ranked No. 155 coming into the Pan Pacific Open. However after reaching the ultimate, she is now again within the high 100 at No. 88.
This is what else you might need missed from across the tennis world final week:
Draper’s new {hardware}
Zheng wasn’t the one 22-year-old who cemented their breakthrough season with one other title over the weekend. Jack Draper, the top-ranked British participant who reached his first main semifinals final month on the US Open, earned the second trophy of his profession on Sunday with a 6-4, 7-5 closing victory over Karen Khachanov in Vienna.
Draper took management early and even jumped out to a commanding 4-0 lead within the second set. Khachanov then gained 5 consecutive video games, and a deciding set seemed all however sure earlier than Draper discovered a method to regain focus and shut out the match. Draper’s elation was evident as he fell to the bottom as soon as the match was over.
Nothing wanting sensational ⚡️
Magnificent @jackdraper0 dazzles his method to the title in Vienna! #ErsteBankOpen | @ErsteBankOpen pic.twitter.com/mZaDFj2Hyt
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 27, 2024
“It obtained actually tight there, however I stayed stable and in a very good psychological body,” Draper mentioned in the course of the trophy ceremony. “Fortunately I used to be capable of come by means of, it was a reduction. To win my first ATP 500, it feels unbelievable. I’m extremely joyful and so happy with myself and my staff. It is for moments like this, so I’m going to get pleasure from it.”
Draper is now ranked a brand new career-high of No. 15.
Sharapova and the Bryan brothers named to the Corridor of Fame
On Thursday, Maria Sharapova and Bob and Mike Bryan had been named as the 2025 class for the Tennis Corridor of Fame. The three retired stars had been advised the information by Kim Clijsters, the Corridor’s president and member of the Class of 2017, and can formally be inducted throughout a ceremony in Newport, Rhode Island, in August.
The Final Honor in Tennis is asking ☎️
A really particular welcome to the Class of 2025 ✨@Clijsterskim | @MariaSharapova | @Bryanbrothers pic.twitter.com/hW2OyvYwcZ
— Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame (@TennisHalloFame) October 24, 2024
In an interview with ESPN final week forward of the official announcement, the Bryan brothers mirrored on the consideration and what it meant to them to share such an unbelievable accomplishment with each other. The equivalent twins have gained 119 profession titles collectively, together with 16 majors and Olympic gold, and spent 438 weeks collectively ranked No. 1 in doubles.
“There’s an unbreakable bond that twins have and it’s the cause why we selected doubles,” Bob mentioned. “It is the explanation why we in all probability stayed on tour for 23 years simply because we love doing it collectively. We love touring collectively, we love practising collectively, and now we each dwell in Florida, we’re shut.
“Our households share many moments, and now we get to have this type of journey to Newport along with the fruits of the ceremony. There’s nothing cooler than to do it as household, and that simply makes each expertise additional particular. That is going to be a spotlight for us. We’re thrilled, we’re pumped, we will not wait. It should be magical.”
The musically inclined twins celebrated the excellence in true Bryan brothers trend — by performing The Script’s “Corridor of Fame” on piano and drums.
It isn’t the way you begin …
Olga Danilovic arrived on the Guangzhou Open ranked No. 86 and unseeded, and had not gained a WTA title in over six years.
But it surely seems neither odds nor expectations mattered a lot for the 23-year-old Serbian. Danilovic turned in her greatest efficiency of the season with 5 straight wins — together with a 6-1, 6-0 rout over No. 5 seed Diane Parry within the Spherical of 16 — and gained the second title of her profession and her first on onerous court docket.
Within the closing, going through American qualifier Caroline Dolehide, Danilovic was dominant from the beginning and seemingly needed to depart nothing to probability. She wanted three match factors however largely cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 victory.
Danilovic wins her first Hologic WTA Tour title since 2018! 🙌#GuangzhouOpen pic.twitter.com/3g5GK2yQDW
— wta (@WTA) October 27, 2024
“I am so joyful [about] the best way I performed the entire week, the entire match,” Danilovic later mentioned. “I am so happy with myself and my staff. I confirmed what I can do and proved it to myself, I feel, essentially the most. So I am so joyful and really excited to be ending the season this manner.”
Following her spectacular week, Danilovic, who was congratulated by fellow Serbian Novak Djokovic in addition to a number of of her friends on Instagram, is now as much as her highest-ever rating of No. 52.
Mpetshi Perricard makes historical past
It actually was an ideal week for the underdogs and the surprising. Along with Danilovic’s triumph, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard grew to become the lowest-ranked champion in Basel on the Swiss Indoors match for the reason that occasion was launched on tour in 1975.
Coming into the occasion ranked No. 50 and having misplaced eight of his earlier 9 matches, the 21-year-old Frenchman rattled off one outstanding win after one other — together with over No. 8 seed Felix Auger Aliassime within the Spherical of 16 and No. 4 seed Holger Rune within the semifinals — to advance to Sunday’s closing.
Taking over Ben Shelton, the No. 6 seed, Mpetshi Perricard matched Shelton’s trademark huge serving and notched 22 aces for the 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory in simply 87 minutes. And if that does not impress you sufficient, not solely was Mpetshi Perricard’s serving efficiency on hearth on Sunday, he did not drop his serve all week, profitable all 60 of his service video games and going through break level simply thrice all through his run. As Shelton aptly commented to his opponent on Instagram afterward Sunday, “Too good huge homie.”
It marked Mpetshi Perricard’s first 500-level trophy, his second ATP title of each his profession and 2024, and the fruits of an unbelievable season. He began the yr ranked No. 205 and now could be No. 31.
“My objective [this season] was to win a 250 or a 500, however to win each is wonderful,” he mentioned after the ultimate. “In fact, I am centered on what I can enhance in my recreation, numerous issues in coaching. The work paid [off], and I am actually joyful.”
Shelton clears the air
A tennis match delay due to climate is nothing new. However fog-like situations interrupting a match indoors may be a primary — and that is precisely what occurred forward of Friday’s quarterfinal match in Basel between Shelton and Andrey Rublev.
As the 2 gamers warmed up on the court docket, a mysterious Halloween-esque smoke stuffed the air of the world. Play was halted earlier than it may start, and the chair umpire defined to the gang that they needed to attend to see if the air would clear. Inside moments, Shelton determined to take issues into his personal palms as he vigorously waved his towel into the air in hopes of serving to dissipate the fog. Rublev could not assist however giggle from his chair and the tv commentators jokingly analyzed Shelton’s towel-waving movement.
Have you ever EVER seen something prefer it?!?! 🤣
Play suspended in Basel resulting from fog? @BenShelton #SwissIndoorsBasel pic.twitter.com/Td3Zax6BaY
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 25, 2024
The air did ultimately clear and play obtained underway. All that towel-waving did not appear to tire Shelton out as he gained the match 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-4, and naturally in the end superior to the ultimate.
