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Jonathan White

The China National Games women’s singles tennis final ended with Wang Qiang crowned the champion after Zheng Saisai retired hurt just seven minutes in.
Zheng called for a medical timeout after the warm-up but began the match and broke Wang’s serve to win the opening game before taking a seat at 15-30 down on her own serve.
It was at this point she decided to retire, blaming an injury she picked up in the women’s doubles semi-final earlier in the Games.
Wang and Zheng embraced after the short-lived game at the Yangling Tennis Centre, the newly-completed venue around 100km from Xi’an.

With both players representing Tianjin, the team was guaranteed gold and silver at these Shaanxi-based Games, but the result ensured Wang won back-to-back titles.
Beaten semi-finalists Zhu Lin from Anhui and Wang Yafan from Sichuan secured bronze for their provinces.
China’s Zhang cruises into US Open doubles semis with Stosur
Zheng apologised for having to retire.
“First of all, I want to say sorry to everyone. It is indeed because of my own reasons that I can’t keep on going. I was injured when I played doubles the day before yesterday,” she said as reported by local media.
Zheng and partner Duan Yingying lost their women’s doubles semi-final, earning a bronze for Tianjin. The women’s doubles final would be won by the Beijing-Tianjin team of Yang Zhaozuan and Xu Yifan who beat Sichuan’s Jiang Xinyi and Wang Yafan.

The women's doubles semis are set!

Coco Gauff & Caty McNally
Gabby Dabrowski & Luisa Stefani
Sam Stosur & Zhang Shuai
Alexa Guarachi & Desirae Krawczyk pic.twitter.com/lLFKC8IK9L
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 9, 2021

Despite playing for Tianjin, Zheng said she grew up in Xi’an, the host city of these 14th China National Games.
“The film persists. I really can’t persist today. I’m sorry everyone,” she said. “Xi’an is where I grew up. This is also the first time I played a game in my hometown. I really want to play this game well. I’ve tried my best, I’m sorry.”
National Games gold-medal winner Wang and Zheng represented China at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after skipping Wimbledon to focus on competing for China.
No place for China No 1 in Tokyo 2020 tennis team
Fellow Tianjin player Zhang Shuai, who played at Wimbledon, was the only eligible Chinese player to skip the National Games and choose to play at the US Open.
Zhang and partner Samantha Stosur of Australia are in the women’s doubles semi-final where they face Desirae Krawczyk of the US and Alexa Guarachi of Chile.
The 32-year-old is now China’s top-ranked singles player in the WTA standings at No 49 ahead of Wang in 50th place.


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2021 National Games of China

Wang Qiang beats Zheng Saisai for China National Games singles gold while No 1 Zhang Shuai plays US Open

Wang Qiang of China in action during her Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games second-round match against Garbine Muguruza of Spain. Photo: Reuters

(210601) -- PARIS, June 1, 2021 (Xinhua) -- Zheng Saisai of China hits a return during the women's singles first round match against Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, May 31, 2021. (Photo by Aurelien Morissard/Xinhua)

US Open: Emma Raducanu beats Maria Sakkari, with Leylah Fernandez up next in all-teen final

Emma Raducanu celebrates after defeating Maria Sakkari during their US Open semi-final. Photos: EPA

epa09458919 Emma Raducanu of Great Britain reacts as she plays Maria Sakkari of Greece during their semifinals round match on the eleventh day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 09 September 2021. The US Open runs from 30 August through 12 September. EPA-EFE/JUSTIN LANE

epa09458956 Emma Raducanu of Great Britain reacts after defeating Maria Sakkari of Greece during their semifinals round match on the eleventh day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 09 September 2021. The US Open runs from 30 August through 12 September. EPA-EFE/JUSTIN LANE

epa09458968 Emma Raducanu of Great Britain (L) and Maria Sakkari of Greece at the net after their semifinals round match on the eleventh day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 09 September 2021. The US Open runs from 30 August through 12 September. EPA-EFE/JUSTIN LANE

epa09458938 Maria Sakkari of Greece reacts as she plays Emma Raducanu of Great Britain during their semifinals round match on the eleventh day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 09 September 2021. The US Open runs from 30 August through 12 September. EPA-EFE/JUSTIN LANE

US Open: China’s Zhang Shuai into doubles quarter-finals with Samantha Stosur

Samantha Stosur of Australia, and Zhang Shuai of China, celebrate after winning a set against Japanese pairing Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara in the US Open women’s doubles third round. Photo: AP

French Open: China No 1 Wang Qiang edges Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei; No 2 Zhang Shuai out

China’s Wang Qiang serves to Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei during their first round match at Roland Garros. Photo: AFP

(210602) -- PARIS, June 2, 2021 (Xinhua) -- Wang Qiang of China returns the ball during the women's singles first round match against Hsieh Su-wei of Chinese Taipei at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, June 1, 2021. (Photo by Aurelien Morissard/Xinhua)

(210602) -- PARIS, June 2, 2021 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Shuai of China serves during the women's singles first round match against Varvara Lepchenko of the United States at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, June 1, 2021. (Photo by Aurelien Morissard/Xinhua)

Miami Open: China’s Zheng Saisai and Wang Qiang out, Naomi Osaka marches on

China’s Zheng Saisai in action during her defeat to Karolina Pliskova at the Miami Open. Photo: AFP


Sport

Tennis

China


Zheng Saisai retires hurt to end battle between Chinese No 2 and No 3 in women’s singles final
Tianjin rewarded with gold and silver after teammate and No 1 ranked Zhang Shuai skipped National Games to play in the US Open



Zheng Saisai retires hurt to end battle between Chinese No 2 and No 3 in women’s singles final


US Open (tennis)

WTA (Women's Tennis Association)