The road to recovery follows no strict timeline. The World No. 24 Qinwen Zheng knows this truth intimately. She has struggled on and off the court since her Wimbledon first-round injury last year. It sidelined her from the US Open entirely, and now the first major of 2026 takes a punch.

“After careful evaluation by my team and following medical advice, unfortunately, I will be withdrawing from the 2026 Australian Open,” she wrote on her IG story. “Making this decision has been incredibly difficult for me. Melbourne is my ‘lucky place.’ Where I won my first Grand Slam main draw match and where I had my best experience. I have a special connection to this place, and I was very eager to start my new season at the Melbourne Park.”

Last year, Qinwen Zheng battled a nagging right elbow injury all season. She crashed out of Wimbledon in the first round for the third straight year. Then she took a tour break for arthroscopic surgery.

She underwent right elbow surgery in July for “persistent pain.” And following the US Open this year, the Olympic champ teased her recovery journey. She dropped a fun social media video as a “late update” on her first week back. The 22-year-old’s lively “recovery vlog” showed her grinding rehab. She lay prostrate on a hospital bed, hoisting a tennis racquet. She stretched down corridors and gave it her all in the gym.

Even though she returned to her homeland in September at the China Open, she was forced to retire against Linda Noskova in the third round, capping off her season.

Now, she admitted that the recovery needs a little more time:

“Although my recovery is progressing well and my offseason has gone smoothly, to play a grand slam requires players to maintain an extreme competitive condition. Currently, I have not yet reached my best condition that I have set for myself.”

The 2025 season tested her hard. Yet bright spots sparkled. She powered to the semis in Rome and Queen’s, followed by quarterfinal appearances at Roland Garros, Charleston, and Miami. And now, the Olympic gold medalist awaits her court comeback.

In the meantime, Uzbekistan’s Polina Kudermetova steps up. The former first alternate now fills Zheng’s spot in the main draw. On the other hand, while she may be off the court, Qinwen did not fail to make some headlines despite her absence.

Qinwen Zheng speaks about being a “good professional player”

Qinwen lit up the December 2025 issue of Vogue magazine with not one, but several stunning looks. She rocked an oversized green blazer, wide-legged brown khaki pants, and even a collared floral shirt dress for the shoot.

Despite being off the court for months, she unleashed her playful side in those glossy pages, blending whimsy with serious vibes. The feature interview, ‘A Rhythm of Her Own,’ dove deep into her comeback story. There, she spoke about how, at 23, her first big injury taught her that “slow is fast.”

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“A good professional player should know how to arrange their life,” she said. “Before reaching adulthood, your life is arranged for you, and you just need to follow the fixed path. After becoming an adult, once you know what you have chosen, you should take action for your choice: which competitions to participate in and how to allocate your time and energy.”

Even during her hiatus, Qinwen Zheng’s presence off the court hasn’t faded. She may miss the 2026 Australian Open, but a return stronger than ever and with more titles is far from out of the question. What do you think? Share your thoughts below!