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Lars Hamer

China’s Zheng Qinwen will aim to make it seventh time lucky against Aryna Sabalenka when she faces the world No 1 in the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Wednesday.
Top seed Sabalenka, who emerged victorious in all six of the pair’s previous meetings, fought back from 5-3 down in the second set on Monday to force a tiebreak before beating Ukranian Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 7-6.
World No 8 Zheng beat Canada’s Bianca Andreescu 7-5, 6-1 at the Grand Stand Arena in Rome on Monday to set up her latest meeting with the Belarusian.
Chinese tennis fans were eagerly anticipating the clash.
“So exciting – these two have a strong mutual hatred for each other,” one popular social media comment said.

Another user said: “This is not just a tennis match, this is national hatred.
“It’s really exciting, these two really want to finish each other off.”
Some fans called for Sabalenka to have mercy on the Olympic champion. Others said the Chinese No 1 had “rotten luck”, arguing that when she has played well she has had to face the 27-year-old three-time grand slam winner.
Zheng was criticised for giving Sabalenka a frosty handshake after losing the final of the Wuhan Open in October. She also previously said she was obsessed with the idea of beating Sabalenka.
Before the final in Wuhan, which finished 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 and was the only time Zheng had won a set against the two-time Australian Open champion, Sabalenka had actually praised her opponent for raising the profile of tennis in the country.
The pair last faced off in the quarter-finals of the Miami Open in March, when Sabalenka won 6-2, 7-5.
However, Wednesday’s match will be the first time that Sabalenka, who won the Madrid Open earlier this month, has faced Zheng on clay. Zheng won her Olympic title last year on the clay courts of Roland Garros.
Meanwhile, in Tunisia, Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong Chak-lam beat Mexico’s Rodrigo Pacheco Mendez 6-2, 6-2 to progress to the second round of the Tunis Open.


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WTA (Women's Tennis Association)

Zheng Qinwen hoping for seventh time lucky against Aryna Sabalenka at Italian Open

Zheng Qinwen returns a shot against Bianca Andreescu of Canada at the Italian Open in Rome on Monday. Photo: Xinhua

Aryna Sabalenka reacts after winning her match against Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk. Photo: Reuters

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Tai Po felt Noah Baffoe (right) fouled Gabriel Cividini (left) before scoring. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Leung Kwun-chung (left) challenges Philip Chan in Eastern’s draw with Tai Po. Photo: Jonathan Wong

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Cheung Ka-long will not take part in the Challenge Cup at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Arena later this month. Photo: AFP

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Sport

China

Tennis

Pair will meet on clay in quarter-finals in Rome, with world No 1 Belarusian holding a 6-0 career record over the Olympic champion


Pair will meet on clay in quarter-finals in Rome, with world No 1 Belarusian holding a 6-0 career record over the Olympic champion.


Zheng Qinwen

Zheng Qinwen hoping for seventh time lucky against Aryna Sabalenka at Italian Open

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Pair will meet on clay in quarter-finals in Rome, with world No 1 Belarusian holding a 6-0 career record over the Olympic champion

Pair will meet on clay in quarter-finals in Rome, with world No 1 Belarusian holding a 6-0 career record over the Olympic champion