WTA Finals Day 5 preview: Zheng and Paolini square off with semis on the line

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- After producing dazzling, breakthrough seasons, it comes down to a single match for Zheng Qinwen and Jasmine Paolini.

It’s the Olympic singles gold medalist versus the Roland Garros and Wimbledon finalist Wednesday at the WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF.

The only first-time singles players to qualify here, among the biggest surprises of the year, Zheng and Paolini will play for a golden ticket to the semifinals. To the winner goes $350,000 and 200 WTA Tour Hologic ranking points -- and the very real opportunity to collect an additional $1.27 million and 400 points with a win at the next level.

No pressure, right?

“The challenge,” Paolini said, “is to get the win. It’s going to be tough.”

The No.4-seeded Paolini, who won her first match over Elena Rybakina, lost the second to Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 7-5. In a meeting of winless players in the Purple Group on Monday, No.7 Zheng defeated Rybakina 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-1 in what was essentially a knockout match.

For the usually reserved Zheng, it was a step out of character that carried her past Rybakina.

WTA Finals Riyadh: Scores | Schedule | Standings

“In the first set, in the second set, the reason why I let her back is because I’m so closed and so quiet,” Zheng said. “Once I showed up my energy on court, I felt my level automatically get better. I feel more energy, I’m able to see the ball better, to react more faster.”

A closer look at Wednesday’s matches:

Day 5 schedule

No.4 Jasmine Paolini (1-1) vs. No.7 Zheng Qinwen (1-1)

Head-to-head: 3-0, Zheng

This year: Wuhan quarterfinals, Zheng 6-2, 3-6, 6-3

Paolini, the only player to qualify in both singles and doubles, has a lot on her plate. In the case of the 28-year-old Italian, playing a match every day might be a good thing -- making it easier not to dwell on that 0-3 head-to-head record.

“I think I have to try to be more positive,” Paolini said after losing to Sabalenka. “Right now, I’m disappointed, but have to refocus.”

The key against the hard-hitting Zheng, she said, is to survive the first blow and extend the rally.

“She’s serving unbelievable,” Paolini said. “So I think the key is to try to return and to try to play deep, and when I have the chance to attack and move her.”

As odd as it sounds, Zheng might be better off in a three-set match. The win over Rybakina was her 20^th of the season that went the distance -- the most on tour in eight years, following Svetlana Kuznetsova’s 22.

“I have a good physical [condition] to arrive in the third set,” Zheng told reporters. “I don’t let myself to go down, because I’ve focused to work on that.

“I just think about playing every single point. In the third set, there is more competition.”

And Zheng relishes those high-leverage situations. This will be Zheng’s 34^th match since Wimbledon -- the most of any WTA Tour player. She’s won 29 of them, four better than Sabalenka’s next-best total of 25 over that span.

No.1 Aryna Sabalenka (2-0) vs. No.5 Elena Rybakina (0-2)

Head-to-head: 6-3, Sabalenka

This year: Brisbane final, Sabalenka 6-0, 6-3; Madrid semifinals, Sabalenka 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5)

Sabalenka wrapped up the Purple Group with that 6-3, 7-5 win over Paolini, sending her into the semifinals and knocking Rybakina out of contention. So, there are no qualifying implications here.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything at stake, for this is their 10^th meeting and, going forward, these two likely will be involved in many important matchups. Historically, this has been an intriguing rivalry; Sabalenka won all six of her matches against Rybakina in three sets -- and lost all three in straights.

Sabalenka, you should know, is the first player to reach the semifinals at the WTA Finals for three consecutive seasons since Karolina Pliskova (2017-2019). Additionally, she’s the first No.1-ranked player to reach back-to-back semis at the year-end tournament since Serena Williams in 2013-14.

Sabalenka insisted she won’t be taking it easy in this King Saud University Arena match.

“It’s tricky, but we’re chasing No.1, so I’m going to just keep that in mind,” Sabalenka said. “I want to go for all of the points possible. That’s my motivation right now.”