Paris Paralympics: Wang Ziying, China’s first wheelchair tennis semi-finalist, eyes medal

Wang Ziying has described how wheelchair tennis changed her life after becoming the first Chinese player to reach a Paralympic semi-final.

The world No 5 was the only remaining women’s singles podium hopeful for China after toppling Angelica Bernal of Colombia 6-2, 6-3 in the quarter-finals at Roland-Garros on Tuesday.

Four Chinese players had reached the last eight – a first – but Zhu Zhenzhen lost her match to Japan’s Kamiji Yui 6-1, 6-2, while China’s other two contenders, Li Xiaohui and Guo Luoyao, also exited.

Wang, however, edged closer to her childhood dream of winning a Paralympic medal, setting up a last-four clash with top-ranked Diede de Groot of the Netherlands on Wednesday evening Hong Kong time.

After facing world No 6 Bernal for the first time, Wang admitted to having felt “quite nervous”, before completing what she called “an emotional feat”.