RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — In an impressive display of skill, Zheng Qinwen secured her place in the semifinals of the WTA Finals with a commanding victory over Jasmine Paolini, winning 6-1, 6-1 on Wednesday.

The match, which lasted a little over an hour, determined the final spot in the Purple Group of the prestigious tournament. Alongside Zheng, top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka also advanced from the group stage.

This win marked Zheng’s fourth consecutive victory against Paolini, showcasing her dominance in the matchup. The 22-year-old from China delivered an impressive performance, registering 12 aces and breaking her opponent’s serve five times during the match.

“This is one of the best performances I have achieved this year,” Zheng expressed. “I feel really proud of my play, especially in such a challenging group.”

Making history, Zheng became the youngest player to reach the semifinals in her debut at the WTA Finals since Petra Kvitova accomplished the feat in 2011. This semifinal appearance is the seventh of her season, and notably, it is her first occasion of defeating two top-10 ranked players during the same tournament. Earlier in the week, she triumphed over Elena Rybakina.

Since Wimbledon, Zheng has amassed an impressive 30 match victories, which included clinching the Olympic gold medal in Paris and winning tournaments in Palermo and Tokyo.

Additionally, she is on the brink of becoming only the second player in history to achieve the singles gold medal at the Olympics and reach the WTA Finals championship match within the same calendar year, following in the footsteps of Serena Williams in 2012.

On the other hand, Jasmine Paolini concluded her season with a record of 38 wins and 19 losses, having reached the finals of both the French Open and Wimbledon.