Zheng Qinwen needs to improve her concentration, eliminate inconsistencies in her game and capitalize on her excellent serve if she is to close out a career-defining season by winning the WTA Finals, a Chinese tennis expert has suggested.

If Zheng beats American Coco Gauff in Riyadh on Saturday night, she will become only the second woman to win an Olympic gold medal and the season-ending crown, a feat previously only achieved by Serena Williams in 2012.

Zheng sealed her place in the final against Gauff on Friday night at the King Saud University Indoor Stadium with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Czech tennis star Barbora Krejcikova.

“She needs concentration (if she wants to beat Gauff). The other thing is that it depends a lot on your first serve and the first points won,” said Chinese tennis expert Wang Dong. “If he can take care of these two, I think he has a chance, a great chance.”

In Zheng’s semi-final against Krejcikova, the Olympic champion went up 3-0 in the first set before winning it with her seventh ace 6-3.

In the second set, Zheng took the first three games and seemed headed for a dominant victory. But Krejcikova won four in a row to put the 22-year-old on the back foot.