China's 'Queen Wen' sets up Australian Open semi with Yastremska

Chinese 12th seed Zheng Qinwen defeated unseeded Russian Anna Kalinskaya at the Australian Open, advancing to the semi-finals. This victory sets up a clash with Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska. While the 21-year-old player, also known as "Queen Wen," had never progressed beyond the quarter-finals in previous Grand Slam appearances, she showed great composure to win the match in two hours and 20 minutes.

The first set was highly competitive, with both players securing two breaks each. Ultimately, it went to a tie-break, which Kalinskaya won 6-7 (4/7), narrowly clinching it with 41 points compared to Zheng's 40.

The pattern continued into the second set, with no clear advantage for either player. However, Zheng managed to break in the eighth game and sealed the set with an ace in the following game.

As the match entered the deciding set, Zheng quickly took control by breaking Kalinskaya twice and establishing a 4-1 lead. Kalinskaya received treatment for a leg injury during a medical timeout but was unable to turn around the match. Ultimately, she lost the final two games and succumbed to defeat.

This victory holds significant meaning for Zheng, as she will move into the top 10 for the first time when the rankings are published after the Australian Open. The Chinese player expressed her excitement about achieving her goal of reaching the top 10, which she had set for herself during the previous year's Australian Open. She described the moment as "amazing" and a great motivation for her future matches.

With Zheng's impressive performance and determination, the upcoming semi-final against Dayana Yastremska promises to be an exciting showdown. Tennis enthusiasts around the world eagerly await the clash between these two formidable players.