The first-round match between Qinwen Zheng and Anna Bondar would have seemed like a routine warm-up match for the Chinese player for the rest of the Rome Masters. Bondar didn't want that to happen, however.
Bondar played brilliant tennis in the opening set while Zheng struggled with unforced errors. The former WTA No. 4 is still trying to work her way back from right elbow surgery midway through 2025, but her talent alone should have been enough to overcome the 28-year-old Bondar, a fine player, but one who has never won a WTA singles title. Zheng has five.
The second set reset the narrative of the match, but that even became tougher than expected. Zheng jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but then had her serve broken, and suddenly the set was back to 4-3. The current WTA No. 32 was back to overhitting and pushing the ball long.
Qinwen Zheng defeats Anna Bondar in the first round of the 2026 Rome Masters
Zheng was able to get the break back, though, her third of Bondar in set two, and then held to even the match. While the Chinese player was obviously the heavy-favorite, she had been so inconsistent in the match that no one could truly know what would happen in the third and final set.
Bondar jumped out again to a lead, 3-0. Even though Zheng continued to keep making unforced errors, neither player could hold serve well. This implied to those watching that even with a seemingly safe lead, Anna Bondar could run into more trouble.
And she did. Zheng got a hold, and then a break, and suddenly a 3-0 lead turned into a 4-5 set for the Hungarian with the Chinese player trying to hold serve to win the match. Zheng did get the hold, but, of course, only after the game went to deuce and Zheng had had three previous match points. It was only her sixth victory of the year, but one can assume many more will follow.
Qinwen Zheng will next play 30-seed Cristina Bucsa in the second round of the 2026 Rome Masters. After winning the Merida Open in early March, Bucsa has lost three of her last four matches.
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