On October 22nd, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) released its latest world rankings, with Chinese player Zheng Qinwen maintaining her seventh place with 4,480 points. Belarusian star Aryna Sabalenka climbed to the top position. Additionally, Wang Xinyu is ranked 39th, Yuan Yue has moved up to 44th, and Wang Yafan now sits at 58th after a three-place increase.
Recently, Zheng Qinwen’s schedule has been packed. During the National Day holiday, she reached the semifinals of the China Open for the first time in her career. After losing 0-2 to Czech powerhouse Barbora Mukova in the semis, she quickly headed to Wuhan to compete in the Wuhan Open, aiming for a spot in the WTA Finals.
As a native of Hubei, Zheng was eager to compete at her home tournament with full focus and determination to showcase her skills. At the Wuhan Open, Zheng and Wang Xinyu made history when they met in the semifinals, marking the first-ever Chinese matchup at a WTA 1000-level semifinal.
In the final, Zheng faced her longtime rival Sabalenka again and unfortunately fell short, but she still achieved her best result at a WTA 1000 event. Reflecting on her performance post-match, she remarked, “I hoped I could do better today, but I did everything I could. Even though I wish I could give more, my body just wouldn’t allow it.”
Her exceptional performances at both the China Open and Wuhan Open earned Zheng a coveted spot in the 2024 WTA Finals, marking the first time she has qualified for this prestigious event. She is only the second Chinese woman to reach the WTA Finals singles event, following Li Na.
When discussing her qualification in just her third year on the tour, Zheng shared her desire to recover both physically and mentally to be competitive at the Finals, saying, “I want to win and to enjoy the experience because all the participants are top players who have performed well this year. I look forward to competing against them.”
Zheng’s journey thus far reflects her continuous growth and breakthroughs. Earlier in the year at the Australian Open, she reached the finals and finished as the runner-up, setting a personal best in Grand Slam results. This summer at the Paris Olympics, she defied expectations and made history by winning the first Olympic gold medal in singles for Chinese tennis. “When the gold medal was placed around my neck, I felt its weight, which made me aware of the heavy responsibility it carries,” she recalled.
Since the Olympics, Zheng has had minimal downtime as she chases her goals for the WTA Finals, with frequent tournaments impacting her competitive state. Recently, she announced her withdrawal from the WTA Ningbo Open due to health issues, stating: “I am very sorry to withdraw from Ningbo. After the China Open and Wuhan Open, I started to feel injuries and caught a cold. I hope to return next year, and I’m sorry for the withdrawal. I hope the fans enjoy the tournament. See you next year.”
Looking ahead, the 2024 WTA Finals are scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2 to 9. In preparation, Zheng mentioned, “I will probably enter a focused training phase to ensure my body and mind are at their best, as this will make me more competitive at the Finals.”
In addition, the recent draw for the 2025 United Cup saw the Chinese team placed in Group E alongside Germany and Brazil, with matches scheduled to kick off in Perth on December 27. This marks China’s second consecutive year participating in this mixed team event, and Zheng, alongside Zhang Zhizhen, will lead the charge. She expressed her hope that the team will enjoy their time at the United Cup.
Moreover, as the WTA announced its tournament schedule, Zheng heads to Tokyo as the top seed for the WTA 500 event. Having arrived in Japan for acclimatization and training, she aims to use this tournament as a preparation opportunity for the WTA Finals. Aiming for success, she recalls her previous journey to the final in Tokyo in 2022, where she finished as a runner-up.
With new challenges on the horizon, Zheng Qinwen is ready to keep pushing forward!