Zheng Qinwen (L) of China and Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus greet each other after the women's singles quarterfinal at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 3, 2025. [Xinhua/Li Jing]

Despite losing to World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka - the long-standing mountain in her path - Zheng Qinwen made her best French Open run and proved she's no longer just climbing, but rising as a summit herself.

BEIJING, June 3 (Xinhua) — Beyond the mountain, the path may not be smooth. Denser clouds, fiercer winds, and tougher challenges may lie ahead.

But this time, Zheng Qinwen was no longer a climber merely gazing up from the foot of the summit.

On a sun-drenched but blustery Tuesday in Paris, Zheng stepped onto Court Philippe-Chatrier to face World No. 1 and perennial rival Aryna Sabalenka.

It was their eighth career meeting - and remarkably, their third clash in just six months.

Sabalenka's dominance over Zheng had earned her a nickname: "the mountain for Zheng to overcome."

Zheng Qinwen returns a shot during the women's singles quarterfinal at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 3, 2025. [Xinhua/Li Jing]

After six consecutive losses to the Belarusian, Zheng finally broke through with a win at the WTA 1000 event in Rome last month. Sabalenka, for her part, had made no secret of her eagerness for revenge.

The 22-year-old Zheng, seeded No. 8, broke first in the opening set before 27-year-old Sabalenka battled back to win a tiebreak. The top seed carried that momentum into the second set to seal the victory.

"That was a true battle, and honestly, I have no idea how I was able to break her back and get back in the first set," Sabalenka said. "I was just trying to fight and put as many balls as I could back because I didn't start well. I'm really glad I found my rhythm and won this match."

Zheng Qinwen reacts during the women's singles quarterfinal at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 3, 2025. [Xinhua/Gao Jing]

While the loss stung, Zheng's performance offered significant encouragement.

She showcased a more varied arsenal - just as she had hoped - and pushed Sabalenka into unfamiliar territory. It was Sabalenka's first tiebreak in five matches at this year's Roland Garros, and surprisingly, the first ever between the two.

Looking back at their eight encounters, Zheng's evolution is clear.

From their first meeting in the 2023 U.S. Open quarterfinals - a "dark horse" challenging a "titan" - to their frequent duels in the latter stages of major tournaments, Zheng has transformed.

Zheng Qinwen reacts during the women's singles quarterfinal at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 3, 2025. [Xinhua/Gao Jing]

She is no longer just the climber. For many opponents, she has become the mountain.

And with each climb, she hones her skills and gathers strength for future tests.

"I didn't handle the pressure very well - that's the only thing I didn't do well today," Zheng said.

"I actually felt I could have won this match, but maybe I was too nervous and couldn't bring out my best. When I face tournaments I really want to win, I need to stay more stable mentally, follow my game plan, and not focus too much on the result."

Zheng Qinwen celebrates after the women's singles 4th round match at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 1, 2025. [Xinhua/Gao Jing]

Though she couldn't advance further, the quarterfinal run marked Zheng's best-ever result at the French Open.

She also became the first Chinese woman to reach the singles quarterfinals at Roland Garros since Li Na's historic title in 2011 - a 14-year gap.

From here, the "mountains" in Zheng Qinwen's path may no longer be mere obstacles. Instead, they are proving grounds - shaping her journey and fueling her ascent toward the summit of the sport.

(Source: Xinhua)

Editor: Wang Shasha