Vekić 2-1 Zhu in Beijing: 7-1 on aces after a 6-1 opening storm

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Three points. That is all Lin Zhu won on her own serve in the opening set in Beijing — 12-3 to Donna Vekić on service points — and the 6-1 that followed carried three breaks of the Zhu delivery. Vekić dropped serve once, failed to save the only break point she faced, and still ran away with the set. The Round of 64 finished 2-1; the first set was no contest.

Then the match flipped. Zhu found her first serve — 79% for the match against Vekić's 56% — and won 19 return points in the second set. Vekić served three aces but also three double faults, saved just two of five break points, and lost it 4-6. One set apiece, and the second set had swung on five breaks of serve. Across the match Zhu actually won more return points, 40-36, yet kept losing the sets that counted.

The decider was a serving exhibition. Four aces from Vekić against one double fault, all three break points saved, two breaks converted — 6-2. The match closed at 16-9 in games and 86-71 in total points.

Vekić's win was loud and untidy at once: seven aces to one, but six double faults to one; 50 service points won to 31; seven break points converted to Zhu's four. Zhu's tidier delivery bought her only 26 first-serve points against Vekić's 36, and five of 12 break points saved against five of nine.

Efficiency over elegance. When the moments paid in Beijing, Vekić's serve did the talking.