Zheng Qinwen finally got her first win over Aryna Sabalenka at the seventh attempt to reach the Italian Open semi-finals on Wednesday and the Olympic champion said she had perhaps shown the world number one too much respect in their prior meetings.

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is known for her playful presence on the tennis court, especially when she loses. The Belarusian has often shown her lighter side after losses, such as the Indian Wells final and the Australian Open final.

Coco Gauff slightly preferred to play Aryna Sabalenka in the Rome Open semifinal simply because she felt confident and wanted to get revenge over the world No. 1 but then the Belarusian lost her quarterfinal match.

Tennis fans were treated to an absolute thriller at the Italian Open as World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk delivered a dazzling display of power, grit, and shot-making brilliance.