Olympic champ Zheng says ‘getting closer’ to top-ranked Sabalenka

MELBOURNE: Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen said at the Australian Open Friday that she is getting “closer and closer” to Aryna Sabalenka, having been well beaten in last year´s final by the big-hitting Belarusian.

The 22-year-old Chinese lost her first major final 6-3, 6-2. She was also defeated by Sabalenka at the US Open and in front of her home crowd in the final at Wuhan in October. But fifth seed Zheng said she is doing everything she can to close the gap on the world number one, who has beaten her on all five occasions they have played.

“I think each time I play against her, the results are getting closer and closer, which is a positive thing,” said Zheng, who pushed Sabalenka to three sets in Wuhan. “But when is the time I can actually beat her? It´s tough to say,” she told a media conference at Melbourne Park ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year.

Zheng, who reached the decider at the WTA Finals in November before going down in three sets to an in-form Coco Gauff, said hard work was the only answer. “I always come on the court with (the attitude): Okay, we are not good enough,” said Zheng who won Paris gold by defeating Croatia´s Donna Vekic in the final.

“I need to have this mentality to be a better player. I´m right now top five, but still far away from my goal.” Zheng, who did not play a warm-up tournament heading into the Australian Open, faces Romania´s 110th-ranked Anca Todoni in the first round on Sunday´s opening day.

She admitted that last year´s straight-sets defeat to Sabalenka still hurts. “That final brings me a lot of good memories, but at the same time some pity and some sadness because I didn´t take my chance,” she said. “I would even say I ruined my chance because I feel I could do better. “It took me a while to recover from that loss. At the same time I really learned a lot.”