Birmingham, England – Zheng Jie, the only Chinese player to reach the singles semifinals at Wimbledon, is certain to return to the world's top 30 after making the Aegon Classic quarterfinals on Thursday.
Zheng beat Andrea Hlavackova, a rising Czech, 6-4, 6-1 - a misleadingly comfortable scoreline because conditions were breezy, the court uneven, and Hlavackova had important chances.
Hlavackova had two break points at 3-3 in the first set, and four break-back points at 3-1 in the second set, statistics which hinted at how good Zheng's focus was.
"It was not at all easy and I was pleased with the way I coped, even though I am a little bit tired," Zheng said, referring to the fact that, after two qualifying matches, this was her fifth match of the tournament. She was playing doubles, too.
Zheng had an embarrassed smile as she admitted how she unnecessarily became obliged to play among the qualifiers. While practicing hard in China, she had overlooked the entry deadline six weeks before the tournament.
But she has certainly atoned. The strengths of her game were her determination, mobility, intelligence, forcing groundstrokes, and moments of brilliance with her forehand.
Zheng also had the steadier temperament, for each time she was break point down in the first set, she delivered solid first serves which applied effective pressure.
She did so twice more in the mini-crises of the second set, saving the two other break points with forehand winners. Though Hlavackova was also dangerous off the ground, she was significantly less consistent when it mattered, and showed signs of frustration as her chances came and went.
Zheng next plays Roberta Vinci, the fourth-seeded Italian who overcame Heather Watson, the improving British wild card, by 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, and the Chinese player will be relieved to move to the better surface of center court.
The quality of the outside courts is so much inferior this year to all the previous 30 years of this tournament, that it provoked even the accommodating lady from Chengdu to comment.
"They look like clay grass courts," she said. "It's the same for everyone, not just me, but it's not easy."
Others have been even more critical. Iveta Benesova, the 11th-seeded Czech who was beaten on the first day, said they were "unplayable" and claimed she "won't be back," while Laura Robson, the former Wimbledon junior champion from Britain, alleged "my back garden is better than this." – Sapa-AP