Zheng Saisai
Zheng Saisai or Zheng Sai-Sai is a Chinese tennis player. She has won one WTA singles title at the Premier level 2019 Silicon Valley Classic, four WTA doubles titles, and reached the finals of the 2019 French Open in doubles with her countrywoman Duan Yingying. She has also won three WTA 125K singles and two WTA 125K doubles titles, as well as eleven singles and nine doubles titles on the ITF Circuit.
On 28 October 2019, she achieved her career-high singles ranking of world No. 35. On 11 July 2016, she peaked at No. 15 in the doubles rankings.
Playing for China Fed Cup team, Zheng has a win–loss record of 11–6.
Early life and background
Zheng started playing tennis at age eight at tennis academy where mother worked. She stated that her tennis idol growing up was Justine Henin. Her favorite tournaments are Australian Open and Wimbledon. Zheng is coached by Alan Ma. Her favorite shot is drop shot.Her father is of Tibetan ethnicity. She also has a Tibetan name, Suodian Zhuoma.
Her nickname is 'jaguar', for her footwork and defence.
Professional career
2008–11: ITF debut
Zheng began playing on the ITF Women's Circuit in June 2008, at the age of 14, where she lost in first round of qualification against her fellow countrywoman, Zhou Xiao. Her first main-draw appearance happened next year, at a US$10K event in February.2011-13: WTA debut in both singles and doubles
In September, Zheng made her WTA debut in both singles and doubles at the Guangzhou International. There she won her first doubles title, partnering Hsieh Su-wei and defeating Chan Chin-wei and Han Xinyun in straight sets.2013: First Grand Slam semifinal in doubles
At the 2013 Australian Open, Zheng reached semifinals with her partner Varvara Lepchenko from United States, and they were defeated by Australian combination Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua, in straight sets. She also reached the quarterfinals at the French Open, also with Lepchenko, where they were defeated by number-one seed, Italian duo Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci, in straight sets.2014-19: Top 100 debut in singles
On 13 October 2014, she entered top 100 in singles, when she reached world No. 92. Zheng finished 2014 season as the 97th.2019: First title in singles, Grand Slam runner–up
At the 2019 French Open, Zheng made her first Grand Slam final appearance with her partner Duan Yingying; they lost against Tímea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic, with score 2–6, 3–6. In August, Zheng won her first WTA title at the Silicon Valley Classic where she defeated 10th seeded Aryna Sabalenka.Performance timelines
- Sourced from WTA
Singles
Current through the suspension of the 2020 WTA Tour.Notes
- WTA Tournament of Champions was held from 2009 to 2014, when WTA Elite Trophy replaced it.
- The first Premier 5 event of the year has switched back and forth between the Dubai Tennis Championships and the Qatar Open since 2009. Dubai was classified as a Premier 5 event from 2009–2011 before being succeeded by Doha for the 2012–2014 period. In 2015, Dubai regained its Premier 5 status while Doha was demoted to Premier status. The two tournaments have since alternated status every year.
- In 2014, the Pan Pacific Open was downgraded to a Premier event and replaced by the Wuhan Open.
Doubles
Grand Slam finals
Doubles: 1 (1 runner-up)
WTA career finals
Singles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner-up)
| Result | W–L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Loss | 0–1 | 2018 Jiangxi International Women's Tennis Open – Singles| | Jiangxi Open, China | International | Hard | ||
| Win | 1–1 | 2019 Silicon Valley Classic – Singles| | Silicon Valley Classic, United States | Premier | Hard |  Aryna Sabalenka | 6–3, 7–6 |
Doubles: 10 (4 titles, 6 runner-ups)
| Result | W–L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Win | 1–0 | 2011 Guangzhou International Women's Open – Doubles| | Guangzhou Open, China | International | Hard |  Hsieh Su-wei | Chan Chin-wei  Han Xinyun | 6–2, 6–1 |
| Loss | 1–1 | 2014 Malaysian Open – Doubles| | Malaysian Open, Malaysia | International | Hard | Chan Yung-jan |  Tímea Babos Chan Hao-ching | 3–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 1–2 | 2015 Internationaux de Strasbourg – Doubles| | Internationaux de Strasbourg, France | International | Clay |  Nadiia Kichenok | Chuang Chia-jung Liang Chen | 6–4, 4–6, |
| Win | 2–2 | 2015 Bank of the West Classic – Doubles| | Silicon Valley Classic, United States | Premier | Hard | Xu Yifan |  Anabel Medina Garrigues Arantxa Parra Santonja | 6–1, 6–3 |
| Win | 3–2 | 2015 Tianjin Open – Doubles| | Tianjin Open, China | International | Hard | Xu Yifan |  Darija Jurak  Nicole Melichar | 6–2, 3–6, |
| Loss | 3–3 | 2016 WTA Shenzhen Open – Doubles| | Shenzhen Open, China | International | Hard | Xu Yifan | Vania King  Monica Niculescu | 1–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 4–3 | 2019 Abierto Mexicano Telcel – Women's Doubles| | Mexico Open, Mexico | International | Hard | Victoria Azarenka | Desirae Krawczyk  Giuliana Olmos | 6–1, 6–2 |
| Loss | 4–4 | 2019 French Open – Women's Doubles| | French Open, France | Grand Slam | Clay | Duan Yingying | Tímea Babos  Kristina Mladenovic | 2–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 4–5 | Jan 2020 | Shenzhen Open, China | International | Hard | Duan Yingying |  Barbora Krejčíková Kateřina Siniaková | 2–6, 6–3, |
| Loss | 4–6 | 2020 Dubai Tennis Championships – Women's Doubles| | Dubai Championships, United Arab Emirates | Premier | Hard | Barbora Krejčíková | Hsieh Su-wei Barbora Strýcová | 5–7, 6–3, |
WTA 125 series finals
Singles: 5 (3 titles, 2 runner-ups)
Doubles: 2 (2 titles)
ITF Circuit finals
Singles: 19 (11 titles, 8 runner–ups)
| Result | W–L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Win | 1–0 | Jul 2009 | ITF Shenzhen, China | 10,000 | Hard |  Sabina Sharipova | 7–5, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1–1 | Apr 2010 | ITF Ningbo, China | 10,000 | Hard | Tian Ran | 6–2, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1–2 | Jun 2010 | ITF Hefei, China | 10,000 | Hard | Duan Yingying | 6–3, 6–4 |
| Win | 2–2 | Oct 2010 | ITF Taipei, Taiwan | 10,000 | Hard |  Zhang Ling | 6–3, 6–3 |
| Loss | 2–3 | Jan 2011 | ITF Muzaffarnagar, India | 25,000 | Grass |  Tadeja Majerič | 6–2, 5–7, 6–2 |
| Loss | 2–4 | Jan 2011 | Burnie International, Australia | 25,000 | Hard |  Eugenie Bouchard | 6–4, 6–3 |
| Loss | 2–5 | Apr 2012 | ITF Wenshan, China | 50,000 | Hard | Hsieh Su-wei | 6–3, 6–3 |
| Win | 3–5 | May 2012 | Kurume Cup, Japan | 50,000 | Grass |  Monique Adamczak | 7–5, 6–2 |
| Win | 4–5 | Oct 2012 | ITF Taipei, Taiwan | 25,000 | Hard |  Zarina Diyas | 6–4, 6–1 |
| Loss | 4–6 | Sep 2013 | ITF Sanya, China | 50,000 | Hard | Karolína Plíšková | 6–3, 6–4 |
| Win | 5–6 | May 2014 | Kunming Open, China | 50,000 | Clay |  Jovana Jakšić | 6–2, 6–3 |
| Win | 6–6 | Apr 2015 | Kangaroo Cup, Japan | 75,000 | Hard |  Naomi Osaka | 3–6, 7–5, 6–4 |
| Win | 7–6 | May 2015 | Kunming Open, China | 75,000 | Clay | Han Xinyun | 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 |
| Loss | 7–7 | Mar 2017 | Zhuhai Open, China | 60,000 | Hard | Denisa Allertová | 3–6, 6–2, 4–6 |
| Win | 8–7 | Apr 2017 | Industrial Bank Cup, China | 60,000 | Hard | Liu Fangzhou | 6–2, 6–3 |
| Win | 9–7 | Apr 2017 | Kunming Open, China | 100,000+H | Clay | Zarina Diyas | 7–5, 6–4 |
| Win | 10–7 | Apr 2018 | Industrial Bank Cup, China | 60,000 | Hard | Liu Fangzhou | 6–3, 6–1 |
| Win | 11–7 | Oct 2018 | Suzhou Open, China | 100,000 | Hard |  Jana Čepelová | 7–5, 6–1 |
| Loss | 11–8 | Nov 2018 | Shenzhen Longhua Open, China | 100,000 | Hard | Ivana Jorović | 3–6, 6–2, 4–6 |
Doubles: 16 (9 titles, 7 runner–ups)
| Result | W–L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Win | 1–0 | Jun 2010 | ITF Hefei, China | 10,000 | Hard | Tian Ran | Bai Xi Zhang Kailin | 6–0, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1–1 | Oct 2010 | ITF Taipei, Taiwan | 10,000 | Hard | Juan Ting-fei | Kao Shao-yuan Wang Qiang | 6–3, 7–6 |
| Win | 2–1 | May 2011 | ITF Changwon, South Korea | 25,000 | Hard | Chan Hao-ching | Yurika Sema Erika Takao | 6–2, 4–6, |
| Loss | 2–2 | Aug 2011 | Beijing International Challenger, China | 75,000 | Hard | Tetiana Luzhanska | Chan Hao-ching Chan Yung-jan | 6–2, 6–3 |
| Win | 3–2 | Sep 2011 | Ningbo Open, China | 100,000 | Hard | Tetiana Luzhanska | Chan Chin-wei Han Xinyun | 6–4, 5–7, |
| Loss | 3–3 | Feb 2012 | Launceston International, Australia | 25,000 | Hard | Hsieh Shu-ying | Kotomi Takahata Shuko Aoyama | 6–4, 6–4 |
| Win | 4–3 | Mar 2012 | ITF Sanya, China | 25,000 | Hard | Erika Sema | Liang Chen Zhou Yimiao | 6–2, 6–2 |
| Loss | 4–4 | Mar 2012 | ITF Phuket, Thailand | 25,000 | Hard | Chan Chin-wei |  Natela Dzalamidze Marta Sirotkina | 4–6, 1–6 |
| Win | 5–4 | Mar 2012 | ITF Phuket, Thailand | 25,000 | Hard |  Noppawan Lertcheewakarn | Sun Shengnan Han Xinyun | 6–3, 6–3 |
| Win | 6–4 | May 2012 | Kangaroo Cup, Japan | 50,000 | Hard | Jessica Pegula | Chan Chin-wei Hsu Wen-hsin | 6–4, 3–6, |
| Loss | 6–5 | Sep 2012 | Ningbo Open, China | 100,000 | Hard | Tetiana Luzhanska | Shuko Aoyama Chang Kai-chen | 2–6, 5–7 |
| Loss | 6–6 | Apr 2014 | ITF Nanning, China | 25,000 | Hard | Zhang Ling | Zhang Kailin Han Xinyun | 6–7, 6–7 |
| Win | 7–6 | May 2014 | Empire Slovak Open, Slovakia | 75,000 | Clay |  Stephanie Vogt | Margarita Gasparyan Evgeniya Rodina | 6–4, 6–2 |
| Win | 8–6 | May 2015 | Kunming Open, China | 75,000 | Hard | Xu Yifan | Yang Zhaoxuan Ye Qiuyu | 7–5, 6–2 |
| Win | 9–6 | Jul 2018 | Grand Est Open 88, France | 100,000 | Clay |  An-Sophie Mestach |  Prarthana Thombare  Eva Wacanno | 3–6, 6–2, |
| Loss | 9–7 | Nov 2019 | ITF Hua Hin, Thailand | 25,000 | Hard | Ng Kwan-yau | Tamarine Tanasugarn Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove | 2–6, 6–7 |