Chinese Seventh Seed Qinwen Zheng Upset in French Open Third Round
Chinese tennis star Qinwen Zheng, seeded seventh at the French Open, faced a surprising exit in the third round on Saturday. The 21-year-old was defeated in a gripping three-set match by Russia’s Elina Avanesyan, also 21. Zheng, who reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open earlier this year, fell to Avanesyan with a scoreline of 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6).
Zheng started strong but struggled to maintain her momentum as Avanesyan, ranked 70th in the world, mounted a comeback. The Russian player, who had a notable run to the fourth round at the French Open last year, displayed resilience and tactical prowess to secure her victory in the decisive tiebreak.
Avanesyan’s impressive performance sets up a fourth-round clash where she will face either Bianca Andreescu, the former US Open champion from Canada, or the 12th-seeded Italian, Jasmine Paolini. The outcome of this match will determine who advances to the quarter-finals.
For Zheng, this defeat marks a disappointing end to her campaign in Paris, especially following her remarkable run in Melbourne earlier in the year. However, her early exit underscores the unpredictable nature of the sport and the rising competition among the next generation of tennis stars.
The French Open continues to unfold with unexpected turns, as players battle it out for the prestigious title at Roland Garros.