It’s very simple. Zheng Qinwen beat Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 in the final in Beijing, and she did it with 38% first serves. Thirty-eight. I checked the number three times in my armchair in Uccle, remote on the armrest, to make sure the RTBF (Belgium’s French-language public broadcaster) wasn’t quoting me. It wasn’t. That changes nothing.
Because the first serve is overrated, I’ve been saying it for years, nobody listens to me. In ninety per cent of cases, and I’m being kind, the one who serves too well falls asleep. Zheng stayed awake. Down 5-4 in the first set, she saved three set points, then won the last eleven points of the set. Eleven. Me, in Kitzbühel, in ’92, against a future top 10, I won nine in a row. Or twelve. The context was different, there was wind, eh.
Careful, I’m not saying the opposite of what I said. On Saturday, I had called Elise Mertens for the final. Zheng beat her in the semi. So I’m clarifying: I had said that the winner of that semi would go all the way. The spirit was there.
She was world No. 54 at the start of the tournament, a wild card from the organisers. On Monday she will be No. 23, according to We Love Tennis. Sixth title of her career, first at WTA 1000 level, first Chinese player to win Beijing since 2004. I said it back in January. Not in those words, not with that name, but I said it.
Andreeva, 19, loses her first final since Roland-Garros in June, but she will be world No. 3 on Monday, her career best. Good week, but she should have served less well.
“Thirty-eight per cent, that’s my Sunday. The difference is the stringing.”
She finished with an ace, after the break at 4-4. An ace on 38% first serves. Exactly what I was saying. All right?
It’s true, we checked: Tennis Actu.
