Three consecutive defeats against Zheng Qinwen. No clay-court victory over the Chinese star. On Friday in Rome, Jelena Ostapenko erased that losing record with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 comeback to reach the round of 16 at the Italian Open.
The Latvian, 2017 Roland-Garros champion, needed to show real character after dropping the opening set. Zheng appeared in control after taking the first set 6-4, following a familiar script from their previous encounters.
Ostapenko found a second wind midway through the second set. Her attacking game, at times erratic early on, gained accuracy as the match progressed. A decisive break allowed her to level at one set apiece and shift the momentum entirely.
The third set followed a similar pattern. Ostapenko maintained relentless pressure, striking heavy groundstrokes that pushed Zheng behind her baseline. A crucial break was enough to seal the match after nearly two and a half hours.
With this result, Ostapenko reaches the last 16 in Rome for the fourth consecutive year, confirming her affinity with the Foro Italico. Her head-to-head against Zheng improves to 1-3, but this first victory comes at the perfect time as the clay-court swing gathers pace ahead of Roland-Garros.
For , this third-round exit interrupts the momentum of what had been an encouraging return to form. The world No.7 will need more time to recapture her best level on European clay ahead of Paris.
