Lucky loser Zheng sets up Swiatek clash in San Diego as Muguruza retires

Luckly loser Qinwen Zheng benefited from the retirement of Garbine Muguruza due to GI illness to advance to the second round in San Diego

Qinwen Zheng at the 2022 Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo

Aflo / Panoramic

Haresh Ramchandani

October 12, 2022

Former world No 1 Garbine Mugurza‘s lacklustre 2022 season continued on Tuesday night as the Spaniard was forced to retire late in the first set of her opening round match against lucky loser Qinwen Zheng at the WTA San Diego Open.

Muguruza, who started the season as world No 3 but is now ranked No 13 and came into the tournament with a 12-16 record for the season, was trailing the 20-year-old Chinese player 5-0 in the first set when she decided to retire due to GI illness.

“To get into the next round, it’s double lucky” – Qinwen Zheng

Zheng, ranked No 28, had lost in the final round of qualifying in a third set tiebreaker to Camila Osorio but moved into the main draw when Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina withdrew prior to her first round match.

“Actually, yesterday I could also sign in as lucky loser but I didn’t choose to sign in because I was having an issue with my body,” Zheng said after her match as quoted by the WTA Tour. “Today I was feeling better so I decided with my team to sign in as a lucky loser. I was lucky to get into the draw and I had a good. match today. To get into the next round, it’s double lucky.”

The 20-year-old Chinese player will next face world No 1 Iga Swiatek next in a rematch of their fourth-round clash at Roland-Garros where Zheng took the first set before Swiatek bounced back to win in three.