China's Zheng Qinwen reached the semi-finals of the WTA Finals in Riyadh after claiming an impressive 6-1 6-1 win over Italian fourth seed Jasmine Paolini on Wednesday.

Zheng Qinwen crushed Jasmine Paolini to secure a place in the WTA Finals last four on her tournament debut. The 22-year-old, China's Olympic gold medallist in the summer, showcased her power in an easy 6-1 6-1 win that eliminated Italian Paolini.

It has been less than a month since Qinwen Zheng beat Jasmine Paolini in the quarterfinals of the Wuhan Open, but a few weeks feels like years in the tennis world - especially towards the end of a grueling season.