Marie Bouzková lost a three-hour third-round match to Qinwen Zheng 6:7, 6:4, 5:7 at the WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing. The three-hour marathon ended with the Czech player missing out on a spot in the round of sixteen and failing to join compatriots Linda Nosková, Karolína Muchová, and Nikola Bartůňková in the next stage. World number 27 Bouzková, seeded 18th, lost her first match against Zheng, a former Australian Open finalist.
How the Marathon Match Unfolded in Beijing
Zheng outplayed the Czech player in total winners 53 to 17 and fired 11 aces. Bouzková fought back to level the first set at 3:3 and came within two points of taking it at 5:4 before Zheng forced a tie-break. Zheng secured the opening set 7:3 in the tie-break after one hour of play. Bouzková had started the match poorly, losing her first service game at love, and later faced three break points in the third game, saving the first with her first ace. She eventually reached 5:4, but Zheng hit two strong serves to equalize.
The second set saw Bouzková race to a 3:0 lead with two early breaks. Although Zheng clawed back to 4:5, Bouzková successfully served out the 50-minute second set 6:4 to force a deciding set. Bouzková had utilized a drop shot to maintain her lead at 3:2 and hit a winning backhand return in the seventh game.
Both players held serve through the third set until the final game, when Bouzková dropped her serve under pressure from Zheng’s aggressive play. Zheng converted her second match point after Bouzková saved the first, closing out the final set 7:5. Bouzková’s final point ended when she hit the ball out.
What Lies Ahead for Qinwen Zheng
Zheng advances to face Alina Charaeva in the round of sixteen. Meanwhile, other matches at the Beijing event included third seed Coco Gauff defeating Sun Xinran 7:5, 6:1, and Li defeating Belinda Bencic 6:4, 6:3. Other results included Jovic beating Rachimovova 6:1, 7:5 and Charaeva defeating Kartalova 6:4, 6:1. The women’s event features a total prize pool of 9,415,725 dollars.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Beijing Tournament
Who did Marie Bouzková play against in Beijing?
Bouzková faced Olympic champion and former world number four Qinwen Zheng in the third round of the WTA 1000 tournament. Zheng is currently ranked 54th in the WTA standings.
What was the exact score of the match?
Zheng defeated Bouzková with a set score of 7:6 (7:3), 4:6, 7:5 after a battle lasting three hours.
Which Czech players reached the round of sixteen in Beijing?
Linda Nosková, Karolína Muchová, and Nikola Bartůňková advanced to the next round, while Bouzková was eliminated.
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