LONDON: Zheng Jie reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal as the Chinese wild card's Wimbledon fairy tale continued with a convincing 6-3, 6-4 victory over Hungarian 15th seed Agnes Szavay on Monday.
Zheng had stunned top seed Ana Ivanovic in the last round and the world number 133 showed that was no fluke by demolishing Szavay in an hour and 21 minutes in the fourth round.
The 24-year-old doubles specialist is only the second Chinese player to reach the last eight at Wimbledon, matching Li Na's achievement in 2006.
Zheng plays Czech 18th seed Nicole Vaidisova for a place in the semifinals after the most complete performance of her career.
"It feels great. This was a tough match. I didn't know how I could get to the quarter-finals because every opponent was very strong," she said.
"But I feel I just played so well. I just gave her the forehand more because her backhand is unbelievably good.
"For me, today is the best tennis I've played. I think this match is the best. Also I feel I had the stronger mentality and every ball I was fighting.
"I wanted to win the match too much because this was a good chance to be in the quarterfinal for the first time.
"Maybe I should play on the grass courts more often."
Zheng has the chance to make history by becoming the first Chinese woman to reach the semifinals of a Grand Slam. But she insisted just making it to the last eight was good enough.
"I feel getting into the quarterfinal is fine. I don't want to think too much about the semifinal," she said.
"I just want to keep going, try my best, and don't think too much. It's the first time in the quarterfinals for me. It's very good.
"I've played Vaidisova maybe two or three times but I've never won. I don't want to think too much because on grass she is very dangerous."
Zheng was the second-lowest ranked woman left in the singles but there was no sign of an inferiority complex from the Chinese in only her second Grand Slam last 16 appearance.
Her compact game has few holes and she gradually ground Szavay down and broke for a 5-3 lead in the first when the Hungarian netted a forehand.
Zheng even had the luck on her side as a fortunate netcord gave her two set points. Szavay saved both but Zheng didn't waste her third opportunity as she served out the set.
Zheng lost her concentration at the start of the second set and Szavay broke for a 3-1 lead. But she swifty regained parity with a break in the seventh game.
That was enough to shatter her 19-year-old opponent's fragile morale and Zheng broke again for a 5-4 lead and showed no nerves as she easily served out the match.
Source: China Daily/Agencies
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