PROVIDING a local chance in the final four, fifth seed Qinwen Zheng overcame Leylah Fernandez for the first time in three meetings. The Chinese hope has reached the last eight in her past three tournaments, being the US Open, China Open and now Wuhan Open, the latest coming from a huge 5-7 6-3 6-0 triumph over the Canadian.

Zheng is yet to win a title outside of Palermo where he two existing trophies have come from, but the powerful serve and baseliner has really bolted up the world rankings over the last two years. She had to fight from a set down against Fernandez – who had a 2-0 head-to-head record against Zheng entering the match – but only dropped three games from her last 12 to secure the victory.

Much like over in Shanghai, the tournament was not without its controversy, as Zheng admitted Fernandez’s tennis box had been deploying some frustrating tactics which empowered the fifth seed to have a word with them mid-match.

“Actually, I was distracted in the first set by what the dad is saying because Leylah was on the other side,” Zheng said post-match. “He was always talking, ‘C’mon, c’mon,’ before I start to return. That’s why I think I lost the game when I was 0-30, because I was a little bit distracted.

“After that he was continue doing. Plus the pain I had in the stomach, the fight against the opponent. One moment I cannot hold more. I said to him, ‘You must to talk before I start to return?’

“After that actually I start to feel better, because is what I have in my heart,” she continued. “I didn’t say anything unrespectful. I just say what I feel without bad word.”

The match lasted two and a half hours, with Zheng’s serving efficiency still plaguing her at just 55 per cent, including 53 and 46 per cent in the first two sets. However when she did get it in, she was hard to quell, and once she ran at an un-Zheng like 79 per cent in the deciding set, she only dropped two points, and won all 11 first serve points.

That culminated in her never facing a break point, and able to put pressure on Fernandez by winning three of her four break point opportunities while the Canadian won just seven of 21 off her serve. It did give fans a glimpse into what Zheng is capable of if she runs at a high serving percentage.

The Chinese fifth seed will take on Italian third seed Jasmine Paolini in the quarter finals at Wuhan after she ended the run of Russian lucky loser Erika Andreeva, 6-3 6-2. Zheng did not provide the biggest win for the local fans however, with Xinyu Wang stunning world number three Jessica Pegula in straight sets to reach the quarter finals, 6-3 7-5.

Even top seed and world number two Aryna Sabalenka was left a little shellshocked early, losing the fist set to Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva 6-1, before coming back to win 1-6 6-4 6-0. Other title contender Coco Gauff advanced past the talented Marta Kostyuk 6-4 6-1, while Polish pair Magda Linette and Magdalena Frech, and Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova were also triumphant.