No.22 seed Zheng Qinwen reached the second WTA 1000 quarterfinal of her career at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia after triumphing 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 over compatriot Wang Xiyu in 2 hours and 30 minutes.

She will face No.11 seed Veronika Kudermetova, who needed just 79 minutes to advance past No.27 seed Marie Bouzkova 6-2, 6-2. Their only previous encounter went down to the wire, with Zheng winning 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(3) in the Tokyo semifinals last September.

It was the third time that two Chinese players had met in the last 16 of a WTA 1000 event. At Miami 2019, Wang Qiang defeated Wang Yafan 7-5, 6-4; and at Beijing 2012, Li Na overcame Peng Shuai 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(3). It was also a rematch of last June's Valencia 125 final, also on clay and also a three-set victory for Zheng, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

Zheng, 21, reached her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal in Toronto last year via defeats of Ons Jabeur and Bianca Andreescu. Her run this fortnight has improved her 2023 record to 16-8 (14-8 in WTA main draws).

The result also marks No.21-ranked Zheng's first tour-level quarterfinal on clay. 

How the match was won: For just over a set, the match was dominated by big serves and one-two punches. Zheng got the better of this passage of play as Wang blinked at inopportune moments. The first set was decided by a single break, when the World No.75 double faulted to fall behind 3-2. Two more double faults from Wang also gifted Zheng an immediate break in the second set.

By contrast, Zheng was near-flawless on serve at this point, landing 71% of her first deliveries and winning 83% of those points. She did not face a break point -- until, leading 6-4, 1-0, it was her turn to double fault twice to hand the break back.

Despite some stellar defensive play in the second set which had the Pietrangeli crowd in raptures, Zheng's dip in serving form continued. She landed only 59% of her first serves in the second set, and double faulted again to go down 4-2. Wang, meanwhile, stayed on the front foot, nailing a series of heavy backhand winners.

Zheng resumed her first-set solidity in the decider. Once again, the first break of serve was decided by a double fault from Wang, and Zheng rolled to the finishing line from there. 

In Zheng's words: "After I went up a break in the second set, I had a lot of chances to hold my serve but I couldn't make it. I was really nervous because I wanted that game, I really wanted to get the win. She was playing good at the end of the second set and I couldn't do anything.

"At the start of the third set I just said to myself, 'Start playing your game and we'll see what happens. Don't focus too much on the result.'

"I'm still trying to find my game here. The serve isn't as strong as before so I have to adapt my game a little bit, be more consistent from the baseline."

Kudermetova continues clay renaissance: Kudermetova, a semifinalist in Madrid last week, has effectively gotten her season back on track in the past month.

The 26-year-old started 2023 at a career high of World No.9, and reached two semifinals and two quarterfinals in her first five tournaments. But starting from her Doha semifinal loss to Iga Swiatek, she lost five of her next six matches through Stuttgart.

Highlights: Kudermetova d. Bouzkova

However, the back-to-back WTA 1000 events have enabled Kudermetova to find her groove again. She won 85% of her first serve points against Bouzkova, and saved the only break point she faced.

Kudermetova advances to her fifth career quarterfinal at WTA 1000 level or above, and first in Rome.