In the sun-soaked courts of Miami, Aryna Sabalenka once again proved her mastery over Zheng Qinwen, powering her way into the semifinals of the Miami Open on March 25, 2025, with a commanding 6-2, 7-5 victory. The world No. 1, a Belarusian dynamo whose ferocious game has captivated tennis fans, extended her perfect record against the Chinese star to an unblemished 6-0, marking her first-ever semifinal appearance at this prestigious WTA 1000 event. As the Hard Rock Stadium crowd roared, Sabalenka’s blend of raw power and steely resolve shone through, setting the stage for a thrilling showdown with Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in her next match.
The match was a tale of two sets, each showcasing Sabalenka’s ability to adapt and conquer. In the opener, she was a force of nature, breaking Zheng’s serve three times with ruthless precision. Her groundstrokes thundered across the court, leaving the ninth-ranked Zheng scrambling to find answers. The Olympic gold medalist, known for her own aggressive style, managed to outpace Sabalenka in winners—10 to 8—but her 13 unforced errors betrayed her under the relentless pressure. Sabalenka, by contrast, kept her cool, committing just five miscues as she wrapped up the set in a brisk display of dominance. “I’m super happy with the way I handled all the emotions and handled the pressure,” she later reflected, her words carrying the weight of a champion who thrives in the spotlight.
The second set, however, was a rollercoaster that tested Sabalenka’s mettle. What began as a continuation of her first-set supremacy quickly turned into a slugfest, with seven service breaks painting a picture of two warriors trading blows. Zheng, refusing to go quietly, clawed her way back from a 4-2 deficit, leveling the score at 5-5 with a tenacity that hinted at a potential upset. The crowd held its breath as the Chinese star, who had only once taken a set off Sabalenka in their six encounters, pushed her to the brink. But Sabalenka, ever the predator, seized the moment. She converted her fourth break point of the set to take a 6-5 lead, then sealed the match with a flawless service game. “Honestly, every match is tough against her,” she admitted post-match. “I always have to work really hard to get the win, and today was an incredible level from both of us.”
This victory wasn’t just another notch on Sabalenka’s belt—it was a milestone. In her seventh appearance at the Miami Open, she’d never ventured past the quarterfinals, falling to Ashleigh Barty in 2021 and Sorana Cirstea in 2023. Now, at 26, she’s rewriting her narrative in South Florida, chasing a title that would add to her already illustrious resume of seven WTA 1000 crowns. Her path to this point in 2025 has been nothing short of stellar: a title in Brisbane, finals at the Australian Open and Indian Wells, and now a fourth semifinal of the year. Her second Top 10 win of the season—following her earlier triumph over Danielle Collins in the fourth round—underscores her status as the player to beat.
For Zheng, the defeat stings but doesn’t diminish her own remarkable run. The 22-year-old, who’d never advanced beyond the fourth round in Miami, toppled three American players—Lauren Davis, Taylor Townsend, and Ashlyn Krueger—to reach her second straight WTA 1000 quarterfinal of the month. Yet, against Sabalenka, she remains a puzzle unsolved, her lone set against the Belarusian coming in last year’s Wuhan final. “She’s a really aggressive player, but I’m aggressive too,” Zheng had said before their latest clash, a sentiment that fueled her fightback but couldn’t bridge the gap.
As Sabalenka prepares to face Paolini, a player she leads 3-2 in their head-to-head, the tennis world buzzes with anticipation. Paolini, riding her own wave of form after a 6-3, 6-2 rout of Magda Linette, promises a clash of styles—Sabalenka’s brute force against the Italian’s crafty resilience. With the final in sight, Sabalenka’s dominance in Miami feels like a coronation in progress, but the road ahead demands she maintain the intensity that’s carried her this far. For now, she basks in the glow of a hard-fought win, her sights set on a trophy that’s eluded her—until, perhaps, this week.
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