Breaking kalinskaya

Zheng Qinwen: Zheng Qinwen, the 12th seed from China, etched her name into the annals of tennis history, overcoming a shaky start against the unseeded Anna Kalinskaya 6-7(4) 6-3 6-1, to secure her spot in the first Grand Slam semifinal at the Australian Open 2024.

The match began with a stutter for Zheng, as a series of unforced errors in the first set hinted at the nerves that can accompany such monumental occasions. Kalinskaya, ranked 75th and appearing in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, seized the opportunity to break back after an early break by Zheng. The set unfolded with exchanged breaks, but it was Kalinskaya who clinched the tiebreak, taking the lead 7-4.

For a set and a half, the spotlight seemed a bit too bright for Zheng, who, despite entering the match as the favorite, found herself making uncharacteristic mistakes. The tension in the air dissipated midway through the second set, as if a switch had been flipped within the 21-year-old's game.