“This is really special for me,” Zheng, who lost in the final in Tokyo last year, said. “This is my first WTA 250 championship. I will remember that.”
In the first meeting between the two, Zheng came out of the blocks firing. She broke Paolini twice to build a 3-0 lead quickly. From 3-1 up, she did not face a break point for the remainder of the set.
After holding serve to open the second set, Paolini came through the longest game of the match to break en route to a 3-0 lead. Serving down 1-0, 15-40, Zheng saved five break points in a nine-deuce game but could not convert any of her five game points. Paolini added a second break two games later after Zheng double-faulted on break point and took the match into a decider after 94 minutes of play.
Paolini was bidding to join Flavia Pennetta, Roberta Vinci, and Sara Errani as the fourth Italian champion in Palermo. The 27-year-old was now into her fourth three-set match of the week, having already knocked out the No. 1 seed Daria Kasatkina in the quarterfinals.
Zheng quickly put the second set behind her. With her new coach Wim Fissette watching on, Zheng broke first in the third set, aided by a stinging backhand winner that earned a roar of defiance. Having snuffed out Paolini’s momentum, Zheng methodically powered her way through the final set.
Serving for the title at 5-1, Zheng misfired on her first two championship points but sealed the win on her third with a flurry of forehands, punctuated by her final winner of the match.
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
