Did China's Zheng Triumph Over Arango to Join Paolini in the Third Round in Paris?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Zheng Qinwen's victory highlights her prowess on clay.
- Jasmine Paolini continues her strong performance.
- The upcoming matches hold promise for thrilling tennis.
- Rising star Victoria Mboko shows great potential.
- Both Zheng and Paolini are examples of the growing talent in women’s tennis.
Paris, May 28 (NationPress) China's Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen triumphed over Emiliana Arango from Colombia in a hard-fought two-set match during the French Open, advancing alongside No. 4 seed and last year's finalist Jasmine Paolini of Italy to the third round on Wednesday.
The eighth seed Zheng defeated Arango with a score of 6-2, 6-3 in a 1-hour, 37-minute battle that proved to be tougher than the scoreline reflects. Arango was one of nine players making her Grand Slam debut this year, and Zheng's next challenge will be another debutant, the rising 18-year-old qualifier Victoria Mboko, who triumphed over Eva Lys 6-4, 6-4.
Zheng's victory against Arango marks her eighth consecutive win on the clay courts of Roland Garros since the Paris Olympic Games last year.
After converting her third match point, Zheng let out a roar, showcasing the physical exchanges she endured to overcome World No. 85 Arango, especially in the second set, where the two players engaged in numerous intense rallies, with Arango winning 15 of them.
Next, Zheng will face Mboko, who has had an impressive run at the ITF level, with five titles this year and a spot in her first WTA 125 final in Parma.
Against Lys, No. 120-ranked Mboko excelled in all facets of her game, securing an initial break with a powerful backhand winner. Despite Lys fighting back, Mboko broke again at 4-4 with outstanding forehands down the line and showcased her skills with a perfect drop-shot lob combination, sealing the first set and converting her first match point with her second ace.
Zheng was joined by another top 10 seed, No. 4 Jasmine Paolini, who also advanced by defeating Ajla Tomljanovic with a score of 6-3, 6-3 on Court Philippe-Chatrier, extending her winning streak to eight matches this season.
Paolini, who had fallen in the first 16 Grand Slam main draws, has now reached this stage for the sixth consecutive major. Last year's finalist controlled most of her match against Tomljanovic, delivering 24 winners and winning nine out of 11 points at the net.
The Italian, who was a runner-up at Wimbledon 2024, will next meet lucky loser Yuliia Starodubtseva, who advanced to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time by defeating Anastasia Potapova 7-6(4), 6-2. The Ukrainian saved a set point while Potapova served for the first set at 6-5. Paolini and Starodubtseva have not faced each other before.