Russian tennis player Anastasia Zakharova is looking to extend her winning streak to 13 matches as she prepares to face Britain’s Katie Boulter in the quarter-finals of the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open on Friday.
Zakharova arrived in Hong Kong just days ago, after a grueling 14-hour trip from Spain. Despite her exhausting journey, the world No. 113 delivered a dominant performance, defeating world No. 66 Varvara Gracheva 6-3, 6-1 on Thursday.
The 22-year-old had a successful run in recent tournaments, winning a W100 event in Barcelona on Sunday, following a W50 title in Cherbourg, France. Her victory over Gracheva marked her 12th consecutive win.
“It has taken a lot of work with my team to achieve this run and be ready for this tournament,” Zakharova said. “The flight from Barcelona to Doha, then to Hong Kong, took 14 hours, plus another hour to reach the hotel. I got maybe one hour of sleep on Monday night before playing on Tuesday. It was tough, but I love Hong Kong and am enjoying my time here.”
Zakharova began the year ranked 190th and has made significant strides since then. She won her opening match against South Korean qualifier Jang Su-jeong, setting up a challenging clash with Boulter, currently ranked No. 29 in the world.
Boulter noted the need to study Zakharova, stating, “We haven’t played before, but she is an exciting player who hits the ball hard.”
Zakharova aims to maintain her momentum against Boulter, saying, “I will try to hit the ball well and cleanly to win the match. I was pleased to get past Varvara; she is a strong player, but she struggled with her serve, which helped me.”
Earlier this year, Zakharova qualified for her first Grand Slam at the Australian Open, reaching the third round before losing to world No. 22 Magdalena Frech. She hopes to return to the Australian major in early 2025.
With aspirations of claiming a WTA title, Zakharova expressed her determination: “I’m excited to face the players here. I need to work hard and play better to continue. I still feel jet-lagged, so I’ll try to rest before Friday. I’m stubborn and love winning, and I want more. Every match, I fight for every ball. Winning a WTA title is my dream, and I believe I can do it here.”
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