When Qinwen Zheng hit one of her powerful forehands against Mirra Andreeva in the China Open final, did she feel something in her right shoulder? While the fans on the court might not have clocked it, the former World No. 4 has taken the cautious approach with her health, which will rob fans at the Wuhan Open of seeing Zheng, just a few hours after she became the first Chinese player to win the title in Beijing.
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“Unfortunately Zheng Qinwen has withdrawn from @wuhanopentennis with a right shoulder injury, commenting: I’m very sorry to share that I will be withdrawing from this year’s Wuhan Open,” as stated on the official X page of the WTA Communications. “Wuhan is where my tennis dream began, and the Wuhan Open is also where I made my breakthrough at the WTA 1000 level. I have always looked forward to competing in front of my hometown fans.”
Wuhan is not merely a WTA 1000 event for Zheng, as it is where the Olympic champion began her tennis lessons. Under the guidance of Yu Liqiao, the former World No. 4 developed the foundational aspects of her game after moving away from her home and family in Shiyan at just 8. The initial training stint provided her with a launchpad to move to Beijing, where she received further instruction from Carlos Rodriguez, who had previously trained another Chinese champion, Li Na.
Therefore, it was not surprising when Zheng made her WTA 1000 breakthrough at the Wuhan Open back in 2024. Having already reached a Major final and secured Olympic gold that year, success at the WTA 1000 level was the only box left to tick for the Chinese player. Even though she could not cross the line against Aryna Sabalenka in the final, Zheng showed that she could compete at the highest level against top-quality opposition.
Even though Wuhan is a special place for Zheng, her decision to withdraw stems from concerns about her physical fitness. Having suffered from her elbow for the past year, it is understandable that the Chinese player wants to avoid a shoulder injury, especially as she is getting back to form.
Even though her qualifying journey at the US Open has earned her a lot of plaudits, it does not change the fact that Zheng had to play eight matches just to reach the quarterfinals. Not to mention the emotional toll of it all, as she also had to win matches after being 5-0 down in sets. Even in Beijing, the home favorite did not get a first-round bye as her ranking was not high enough to merit a seeding. The tough schedule is something that the Chinese player pointed to in her statement.
“Since returning from injury, however, I have played a demanding stretch of tennis over the past month and a half, competing at the US Open, the Billie Jean King Cup, and the China Open,” said Zheng in the official WTA Communications statement. “My body is feeling very fatigued after this intense run of matches.”
Zheng is only the latest to withdraw from the Wuhan Open, with her final opponent from Beijing, Mirra Andreeva, also deciding to pull out after the draw was made. The event had already seen some high-profile withdrawals from defending champion Coco Gauff, World No. 1 Elena Rybakina, and last year’s China Open champion, Amanda Anisimova.
As for Zheng, she was not overawed by the situation, as the home favorite was able to bring her best level when pushed to the ropes.
Qinwen Zheng Was at Her Best When Pushed During the China Open Final
The final was not without its challenges for Zheng, who got broken in the very first game of the match. The home favorite recovered the break, but her biggest challenge in the match came in the tenth game, when serving at 4-5, Zheng was down 15-40, with Andreeva having two set points. This is when the former World No. 4 showed her mettle by playing aggressive tennis, as she shared in an interview after the match.
“I was ready to face 3 points,” said Zheng in a CCTV interview after the match. “I was not sure if I could make it back in time. So I played my best. But I played very well at that time. I took the initiative to attack and score. I didn’t expect to make it back in time. I played one by one. It was a crucial moment. Especially in an important competition.”
Under pressure, Zheng did not go behind the baseline and engage Andreeva in long defensive rallies. Rather, she went for her forehands and came to the net to win the points. She saved the first set point with a well-executed overhead smash, while the second one was saved as Andreeva sent a ball out after Zheng had hit a deep forehand. Zheng once again came to the net during the third set point and finished the rally with a classic volley.
That sequence of play was the turning point in the match, as Zheng closed the first out by winning the next two games. She once again got a timely break in the second set and was able to close the match out, winning it with a powerful ace.