Zheng Qinwen wins Asian Games gold to all-but secure Paris 2024 spot
Zheng Qinwen all but assured her place at the Paris 2024 Olympic Tennis Event after winning singles gold at the 2023 Asian Games on Friday.
The 20-year-old defeated Zhu Lin 6-2 6-4 to complete a dominant week in Hangzhou.
The world No. 23 was only really tested by 18-year-old Alexandra Eala, who pushed her close in a three-set tussle in the semi-finals but the Filipino ultimately had to settle for bronze.
"I'm really proud to win this gold medal for my country and for my parents," Zheng said. "I faced a lot of good opponents... even if they don't have a good ranking for the moment. I think it's just because they don't have enough chance to play enough tournaments.
"The feeling was unexplainable. There was a lot of emotion there. When I won the last point I just feel 'wow, finally I got the match'."
Zheng’s victory means she achieves an ITF Place at Paris 2024 as a result of achieving continental qualification (providing her WTA ranking remains within the top 400 as at 10 June 2024 – the ranking cut-off date for the Olympic tennis event).
The only way she would not participate after that would be if China’s athlete quota is filled though direct acceptance – for example, if four players were ranked above Zheng at the cut-off date.
That, of course, appears hugely unlikely, given that Zheng is the current Chinese No.1 - ahead of No. 33 Zhu Lin, No. 38 Wang Xinyu, No. 58 Wang Xiyu and No. 95 Wang Yafan.
Zheng has enjoyed a hugely impressive season – climbing into the world’s Top 30 and reaching her first Grand Slam quarter-final at the US Open in September, with Asian Games gold the latest addition to her burgeoning CV.
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Eala, meanwhile, secured Philippines' first tennis medal at the Games since 2006 after winning singles bronze, and went on to secure another in the mixed doubles event alongside Francis Casey Alcantara. The men's doubles gold medal went to Chinese Taipei's Yu-hsiou Hsu and Jason Jung, who overcame India's Saketh Myneni and Ramkumar Ramanathan.
The men’s singles final will be decided on Saturday, with China's Zhizhen Zhang and Japan's Yosuke Watanuki set to face off for the gold medal.
It will also be an all-Chinese Taipei affair in the women's doubles, with Lee Ya-hsuan and Liang En-Sho facing Chan Hao-ching and Chan Young-jan.