Qinwen Zheng expressed her respect for her R16 opponent Naomi Osaka in the post-match press conference at IBI24, acknowledging the challenges of facing a seasoned player. She went into the match with a focus on her own game plan and not comparisons to their past encounter. Zheng also shared her affinity for playing in Italy and her motivation to face either Coco Gauff or Paula Badosa in the quarterfinals, viewing each opponent as a worthwhile challenge. She reflected on the importance of maintaining balance and humility to win matches after experiencing a loss of motivation following her defeat in Australia.
Zheng in Rome, ranking, and results in 2024
Ranked no.7 (career-high), Qinwen has achieved a compiled 18-8 record in 2024. The Chinese is playing in Rome where she overcame the world no.398 Shelby Rogers 6-2 6-0, the world no.29 Linda Noskova 3-6 6-1 6-2 and the world no.173 Naomi Osaka 6-2 6-4.
Qinwen Zheng will come up against the world no.3 Coco Gauff in the quarter on Tuesday at 8:30 pm on CENTER COURT. They have never competed against each other as of now on the main tour.
Zheng was the runner-up at the Australian Open.
