Zheng Qinwen Defeats Sakkari to Claim First Grass-Court Win of Season at Nottingham Open

China's Zheng Qinwen rallied from a set down to defeat sixth-seeded Maria Sakkari of Greece 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4 in the first round of the WTA 250 Nottingham Open on Monday, securing her first grass-court victory of the season. The hard-fought victory marked a positive turnaround following her first-round exit at the French Open earlier in June.

Zheng acknowledged the competitive nature of the match, noting that both players performed at a high level throughout. "We both played at a high level and the score was close throughout. I'm happy to win those important points because I wasn't able to do that in the last tournament, and I managed to do it today," she said. The win proved particularly significant given her recent struggles with injuries, which sidelined her for nearly eight months over the past two seasons and required surgery.

The Chinese player reflected candidly on her comeback challenges, explaining that she initially struggled with pressure upon returning to competition after her extended absence. "I had a lot of pressure at the beginning when I started trying to come back. I wanted to do more and do better, but somehow I wasn't able to deal with that pressure," she stated. She has since adopted a more pragmatic mindset, acknowledging her current ranking around 160th in the world and focusing on incremental progress rather than immediate expectations.

Looking ahead to the grass-court season, Zheng emphasized her desire to enjoy the game and take each match as it comes. "On grass, anything can happen, and it's not an easy surface for me. I just hope I can enjoy tennis more and enjoy every competition because I really love playing here," she said. Zheng will face the winner of the match between Australia's Talia Gibson and Britain's Francesca Jones in her next round.