Qinwen Zheng was no match for Aryna Sabalenka when they locked horns in the quarterfinals of the US Open. Zheng, who last month clinched the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, and was eyeing revenge on Sabalenka, could win just three games as she lost by a scoreline of 6-1, 6-2.
Following the match, pictures and clips of their handshake have been doing rounds on social media. When they approached each other, they both shared a ‘cold’ handshake. Fans also noticed how Sabalenka glanced at Zheng when they were about to shake hands with the chair umpire.
Check out the video here:
— ~ (@bvbgurrrl) September 4, 2024
Zheng will now have to wait for the Australian Open to bid for her first Grand Slam title. This season at the Australian Open, the Chinese played her first major final and faced Sabalenka, who defended her title with a straight-set win. The US Open quarterfinals was also their second encounter.
Zheng did not have a smooth campaign at Flushing Meadows, for she played three-setters thrice. Before meeting Sabalenka, Zheng eliminated Paris Olympic silver medalist Donna Vekic in three sets.
Fans react to Qinwen Zheng’s handshake with Aryna Sabalenka
As the videos and pictures went viral on social media, fans recalled Emma Navarro‘s comments on Qinwen Zheng. Navarro did not mince her words while lambasting Zheng for being ‘disrespectful’ during the Paris Olympics.
Fans think Navarro was ‘right’ in claiming that Zheng doesn’t ‘respect the sport’. A few fans, however, found nothing wrong with the handshake, telling others not to make this incident into a controversy. Others defended Zheng, saying she wasn’t rude and was just upset after the defeat.
Check out fans’ reactions here:
Just your average WTA handshake, no big deal tbh. Aryna’s reaction does make it funny tho 🤣
— Senso (@SensoBULL) September 4, 2024
Nothing wrong here at all, just the usual handshake at the end of the match. At least if this bothers those in this thread go a critize the ones that don’t shake hands with Arnya and we’ve seen a bit of that.
— Elaine 🇦🇺🇷🇸🐊 #24 #428 #🥇 (@GmaElaine6) September 4, 2024
it’s not even that bad let’s be honest here
— crysanthi (@crysanthi_OCE) September 4, 2024
LOL
zheng wasn’t being rude tho, just upset over her playing. who wouldn’t after knowing what she can produce
— richard (@richardzphotoz) September 4, 2024
She went from winning the Olympics to this.. z
— Melissa (@melwritesmiami) September 4, 2024
Yes it’s very hard after defeat to do the handshake. But her reaction says everything too 😬😬
— 𝑣𝑖𝑘𝑎𝑠𝒉 (@vikash110497) September 4, 2024
Emma was right
— JRR_Tolkien (@Jor3lBR) September 4, 2024
And people hating on Emma…
— Jacob Wenzel (@JacobWenzel_) September 4, 2024
Qinwen just had a tough loss, why should she must pretend to look happy? I didn’t see anything wrong with the handshake. Stop this.🥲
— Dudu (@Violetyajun) September 4, 2024
Sabalenka showed who is the boss… and Zheng though she could compete 😂😂
— Ak (@Zoso______) September 4, 2024
Sabalenka is now set to lock horns with Navarro in her back-to-back semifinals at Flushing Meadows. They have faced each other twice on the WTA Tour, with both winning a match each. Both their meetings were in 2024, in the fourth round of Indian Wells (Navarro won) and the fourth round of the French Open (Sabalenka won).
Sabalenka, the two-time Grand Slam champion, failed to win the US Open last year after losing to Coco Gauff in three sets. The Belarusian has decent records on the hard court and arrived in New York following a successful campaign at the Cincinnati Masters which she won with a straight-set win over home favorite Jessica Pegula.
In case you missed it!