MusaZheng Qinwen isn’t just walking into her clash with Aryna Sabalenka at Roland Garros—she’s strutting in with receipts. And not just any receipts, but one stamped with a golden Olympic ring and the name “Iga Swiatek” on it. The 21-year-old Chinese rising star is drawing major confidence from her surprise win over the world No. 1 during the Tokyo Olympics—played on the exact same clay courts of Roland Garros. Coincidence? She doesn’t think so.
“Iga was at her best,” Zheng said in a pre-match interview, “but so was I. I know I can play with the best on this surface.” It’s the kind of self-belief you need when you’re about to face the thunderous groundstrokes and fierce presence of Sabalenka, a player who brings Grand Slam energy to every match she plays.
Zheng’s Olympic flashback isn’t just a fond memory—it’s a mental weapon. Clay is notoriously tricky, but if you’ve already taken down the Queen of Clay in her own sandbox, you’ve got something to hold onto when things get messy. Add to that Zheng’s ever-improving movement, her heavy topspin forehand, and an increasingly icy cool under pressure, and suddenly, this matchup isn’t looking so lopsided.
Sabalenka, of course, remains the favorite. She’s powerful, experienced, and hunting for another Slam. But Zheng’s confidence isn’t misplaced—it’s earned. And in Paris, belief is half the battle.
So don’t be shocked if Zheng channels that Olympic spirit and goes toe-to-toe with Sabalenka. She’s been here before—and she knows what it feels like to walk off these courts a giant-slayer.
Musa
John Owolabi
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