Zheng Qinwen (Chinese: 郑钦文; pinyin: Zhèng Qīnwén; IPA: [ʈʂə̂ŋ tɕʰínwə̌n]; born 8 October 2002) is a Chinese professional tennis player. She won the gold medal in women's singles at the 2024 Paris Olympics, becoming the first Asian tennis player, male or female, to win an Olympic gold in singles. She reached a career-high WTA ranking of No. 7 on 29 January 2024, becoming the second Chinese player to reach the top 10 after Li Na.
Country (sports) | China | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Residence | Barcelona, Spain | ||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Shiyan, Hubei, China | 8 October 2002||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Turned pro | 2018 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Plays | Right (two-handed backhand) | ||||||||||||||||||||
College | Huazhong University of Science and Technology | ||||||||||||||||||||
Coach | Pere Riba[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||
Prize money | US$ 5,230,297 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Singles | |||||||||||||||||||||
Career record | 204–90 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Career titles | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Highest ranking | No. 7 (29 January 2024) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Current ranking | No. 7 (30 September 2024) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Grand Slam singles results | |||||||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | F (2024) | ||||||||||||||||||||
French Open | 4R (2022) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wimbledon | 3R (2022) | ||||||||||||||||||||
US Open | QF (2023, 2024) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Other tournaments | |||||||||||||||||||||
Olympic Games | W (2024) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Doubles | |||||||||||||||||||||
Career record | 8–13 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Career titles | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Highest ranking | No. 724 (26 October 2020) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Grand Slam doubles results | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wimbledon | 1R (2022) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Last updated on: 30 September 2024. |
Zheng won her first WTA Tour tournament in 2023 at the Palermo Ladies Open defeating Jasmine Paolini, successfully defending the title the following year. In summary, she has won four WTA Tour titles, one WTA Challenger title, and eight ITF singles titles, and was named the 2022 WTA Newcomer of the Year. She contested a major final at the 2024 Australian Open.
Early life and junior years
editZheng was born in Shiyan, Hubei. Until the age of three, she spent time in her maternal grandmother's home in Chengdu, Sichuan, where her mother originated.[2]
Zheng began playing tennis at age seven.[3] Two months later, eight-year-old Zheng left her family in Shiyan to train in Wuhan.[3][4] About three years later, she moved to Beijing to train with Carlos Rodriguez, the former coach of Zheng's idol Li Na, and then moved to Barcelona (Spain) with her mother in 2019.[3][4] She began working with coach Pere Riba in 2021.[1]
Career
edit2021: WTA Tour debut, top 150
editIn January 2021, Zheng won the Tennis Future Hamburg, Germany where she defeated Linda Fruhvirtová in the final of the $25k event, held at the venue of the Hamburger Tennis-Verband.[5]
On 20 June 2021, she won the final of the $60k Macha Lake Open in Staré Splavy defeating Aleksandra Krunić in two sets.[6]
Zheng made her WTA Tour debut at the Palermo Ladies Open, where she also recorded her first win defeating second seed Liudmila Samsonova in the first round.[7]
2022: French Open fourth round, WTA Tour final & top 25
editAt the Melbourne Summer Set 1, Zheng reached her first WTA Tour semifinal beating Mai Hontama, former No. 2 Vera Zvonareva, and Ana Konjuh, respectively.[8] She lost her semifinal match to second seed Simona Halep, in straight sets.[9]
A week after the Melbourne Summer Set, Zheng qualified for her first major event,[10][11] at the Australian Open where she defeated Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the first round.[12] In the second, she lost to fifth seed Maria Sakkari, in straight sets.[13] As a result, she entered the top 100 at world No. 80, on 31 January 2022.
At the French Open, Zheng defeated Maryna Zanevska on her debut at that major.[14] Next, she beat former French Open champion and 19th seed, Simona Halep, her first top-20 win, to move to the third round of a major for the first time in her career.[15] She moved into the fourth round after Alizé Cornet's retirement. On 30 May 2022, she lost to top seed and world No. 1, Iga Świątek, in the fourth round, referring to menstrual cramps as a contributing factor. Zheng was still happy about her performance and glad that she was able to play against the world's number one.[16] As a result, she moved to a new career-high of No. 54, on 6 June 2022, and reached the top 50, at world No. 46, a week later when she won her first WTA 125 title at the Open Internacional de Valencia defeating compatriot Wang Xiyu.[citation needed]
She debuted at Wimbledon and defeated Sloane Stephens in the first round.[17] She won her second match at this major against Greet Minnen, before falling to the eventual champion, Elena Rybakina, in the third round.[citation needed]
In August, Zheng defeated fifth seed Ons Jabeur by retirement in the second round for her first top-10 win, and defeated Bianca Andreescu in the third round of the Canadian Open to enter the first WTA 1000 quarterfinal of her career, losing to Karolína Plíšková, in three sets. At the US Open, Zheng defeated Jeļena Ostapenko in the first round and Anastasia Potapova in the second round. She was beaten in the third round by Jule Niemeier, in straight sets.[citation needed]
At the Pan Pacific Open in Japan, Zheng became the first Chinese teenager to ever reach a WTA Tour final which she lost to Liudmila Samsonova. Her win over top seed Paula Badosa in the second round was her first completed top-10 win and second overall (after Jabeur in Toronto).[citation needed]
She also became the second teenager to make a WTA 500-level or higher final in the season, after Coco Gauff. As a result, she reached the top 30 at world No. 28, on 26 September 2022, becoming the first Chinese teenager to do so.[18]
For her breakthrough season, Zheng was named WTA Newcomer of the Year.
2023: US Open quarterfinals, two more career titles, top 15
editZheng began the season with a win over former world No. 2 player, Anett Kontaveit, in the first round of the Adelaide International, saving match points in the third set to triumph in a final set tiebreak.[19] She lost to Victoria Azarenka in the second round, and also reached the second round at the Australian Open.
On her debut at the Italian Open, she defeated Alizé Cornet, Anna Bondár, and compatriot Wang Xiyu to reach the quarterfinals of a WTA 1000 tournament for the second time in her career, and her first tour-level quarterfinal on clay. As a result, she reached No. 19 in the WTA rankings, becoming the fifth Chinese player to break into the top 20 – the first four in order of career-high ranking were Li Na (No. 2), Wang Qiang (12), Peng Shuai (14) and Zheng Jie (15).[20][21] At the French Open, as the 19th seed, she beat Tamara Zidanšek in the first round, before losing to Yulia Putintseva in the second.
After the French Open, Zheng split from coach Pere Riba and began working with Naomi Osaka's longtime coach Wim Fissette.[22]
The grass-court season yielded disappointing results, as she lost all three singles matches that she played.[22] She received a wildcard into her next tournament in Palermo. As the second seed, she double bagelled Sara Errani, then beat Diane Parry, Emma Navarro and Mayar Sherif to reach her second tour-level final in which she beat Jasmine Paolini to win her first WTA Tour title.[23]
As the 23rd seed, Zheng defeated Nadia Podoroska and Kaia Kanepi to reach the third round of the US Open, before beating Lucia Bronzetti in a three-set thriller to enter her second major fourth round. She upset fifth seed and defending finalist, Ons Jabeur, to advance to her maiden major quarterfinal, losing there to world No. 2 and eventual finalist, Aryna Sabalenka.[24]
Fissette left Zheng after the US Open to rejoin Osaka who planned to return to the tour after giving birth.[25] Zheng won gold in singles at the Asian Games in September 2023.[26]
She captured her second WTA Tour title on home soil at the WTA 500 Zhengzhou Open defeating Barbora Krejčíková.[27][28] Following the 2023 WTA Elite Trophy where she defeated compatriot Zhu Lin in the semifinals, she entered the top 15 in the rankings.[29] She rehired Pere Riba in the off-season at the end of 2023.[1][30]
At the end of the season, Zheng was named Most Improved Player by the WTA.
2024: United Cup debut, Australian Open finalist, top 10, Olympic champion
editShe made her debut at the United Cup as China's No. 1 player, part of the team's debut at the tournament, and recorded her first win to clinch the tie with Czechia.[31] Team China qualified for the quarterfinals but was defeated by eventual finalist, team Poland.
At the 2024 Australian Open, Zheng reached her first Grand Slam final defeating Ashlyn Krueger, Katie Boulter, compatriot Wang Yafan, and Océane Dodin in a 59-minute match.[32] Zheng then defeated Anna Kalinskaya in the quarterfinals, and qualifier and first-time semifinalist Dayana Yastremska in the semifinals. She became the fourth Chinese player to reach the semifinals of a major, after Zheng Jie, Li Na and Peng Shuai,[33][34] the second finalist since Li Na in 2014,[35] and the second woman in the Open era to reach Australian Open final by defeating six unseeded opponents after Sánchez Vicario in 1995.[36] As a result, she reached the top 10 in the singles rankings, the second Chinese player to do so after Li Na.[37]
At the 2024 Summer Olympics, Zheng defeated Sara Errani, Arantxa Rus, Emma Navarro (saving a match point in the third round[38]), Angelique Kerber, and top seed Iga Świątek en route to the gold medal match.[39] On 3 August 2024, Zheng defeated Croatia's Donna Vekić in the final to win the gold medal in women's singles, becoming the first Asian player to win an Olympic gold in a singles event.[40][41][42][43] This was also China's second-ever Olympic gold in tennis, and the first since the women's doubles in 2004.[44]
Personal life
editZheng has cited Li Na—the only Chinese player to win a Grand Slam singles title—as a source of inspiration.[4][45] In 2024, Zheng said: "I watched her since I was a little kid so I'm trying to follow in her steps. She inspired me a lot when I was a child."[46] Zheng has also credited her parents' support and guidance as a reason for her success.[45]
Following her gold-medal win at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Zheng said that she had always wanted "to become one of the Asians that can inspire young kids and make them love tennis more".[47][48] She also said she looked up to Liu Xiang, a Chinese hurdler whose win in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2004 Summer Olympics was China's first gold in any men's track and field event.[47][45]
In a 2024 interview with Sky Sports, Zheng said her hobbies include walking with her family, reading, and singing.[49] She also enjoys roller coaster rides and is a fan of the K-pop group Blackpink.[50][51]
Career statistics
editGrand Slam tournament performance timelines
editW | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
Current through the 2024 Wimbledon Championships.
Singles
editTournament | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | SR | W–L | Win % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Open | A | A | A | 2R | 2R | F | 0 / 3 | 8–3 | 73% |
French Open | A | A | A | 4R | 2R | 3R | 0 / 3 | 6–3 | 67% |
Wimbledon | A | NH | A | 3R | 1R | 1R | 0 / 3 | 2–3 | 40% |
US Open | A | A | A | 3R | QF | QF | 0 / 3 | 10–3 | 77% |
Win–loss | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 8–4 | 6–4 | 12–4 | 0 / 12 | 26–12 | 68% |
Grand Slam tournament finals
editSingles: 1 (runner-up)
editResult | Year | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 2024 | Australian Open | Hard | Aryna Sabalenka | 3–6, 2–6 |
Olympic medal matches
editSingles: 1 (gold medal)
editResult | Year | Location | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gold | 2024 | Paris Summer Olympics, France | Clay | Donna Vekić | 6–2, 6–3 |
References
edit- ^ a b c "Zheng Qinwen reuniting with coach Pere Riba for 2024". Women's Tennis Association. 3 December 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ 陈浩 (31 May 2022). "郑钦文冲上热搜榜!知道吗?她在成都有故事". 成都日报锦观新闻 (in Chinese).
- ^ a b c Futterman, Matthew (5 September 2023). "Zheng Qinwen Is Coming Into Her Own". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ a b c Fitzgerald, Matt (17 January 2023). "Zheng Qinwen sprouts from a family's big sacrifice—and the little seed Li Na planted in her heart". Tennis.com. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- ^ "Qinwen Zheng Wins Tennis Future Hamburg". Tennis TourTalk. 17 January 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
- ^ "ITF draws and results". www.itftennis.com. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
- ^ admin (19 July 2021). "18-y.o. Zheng Qinwen arrives on WTA Tour in style with Samsonova upset: Palermo Highlights". WTA Tennis. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- ^ "Melbourne 1: Zheng Qinwen beats Zvonareva in 3 sets for 1st WTA QF spot (video)". WTA Tennis. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
- ^ WTA Staff (8 January 2022). "Halep advances, injured Osaka withdraws at Melbourne 1". WTA Tennis. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Baptiste, Zheng Qinwen, Bronzetti qualify for Australian Open". WTA Tennis. 14 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
- ^ "Introducing the 2022 Australian Open's Grand Slam debutantes".
- ^ Greg Garber (18 January 2022). "Australian Open Day 3 order of play: Bencic, Anisimova to play; Barty in action". WTA Tennis. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
- ^ "Osaka passes Brengle test at Australian Open; to face Anisimova next". WTA Tennis. 19 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
- ^ "Osaka's return to French Open ends in first round". 23 May 2022.
- ^ "Zheng Qinwen upends former champion Halep at French Open".
- ^ "Menstrual cramps derail Chinese teen's French Open dream in loss to Swiatek". CNN. 31 May 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
- ^ "Tan prevails over Serena in three-hour Wimbledon opener". wtatennis.com.
- ^ "Samsonova wins Tokyo, edges Zheng Qinwen for third title of 2022". Women's Tennis Association. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
- ^ "Emma Raducanu makes winning start to 2023 with victory in Auckland". BBC Sport.
- ^ "Ranking Reaction: Iga Swiatek kicks off 60th straight week at No. 1, Alcaraz returns to top spot".
- ^ "Rankings Watch: Rybakina hits Top 5 for first time; Zheng makes Top 20 debut".
- ^ a b "Coach Wim Fissette ends collaboration with Zheng Qinwen amid rumored reunion with Naomi Osaka". Tennis.com. 29 September 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ "Zheng Qinwen beats Paolini in Palermo to capture first career title". Women's Tennis Association. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ "Sabalenka sweeps into 4th Slam semi of 2023". ESPN.com. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
- ^ "After Asian Games gold, Zheng Qinwen addresses surprise coaching split". Women's Tennis Association. 1 October 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ Kano, Shintaro (29 September 2023). "Asian Games 2023: Zheng Qinwen wins women's tennis gold to secure Paris 2024 quota". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ "Zheng Qinwen triumphs on home soil to win Zhengzhou title". Women's Tennis Association. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ James Walker-Roberts (15 October 2023). "Zheng Qinwen says she 'wanted too much' after beating Barbora Krejcikova to win Zhengzhou Open". eurosport.com. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ "Zheng Qinwen outlasts Zhu in Zhuhai; will face Haddad Maia in final". Women's Tennis Association. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ "Zheng learning to harness her ambition after reuniting with coach Riba".
- ^ "Zheng Qinwen clinches United Cup tie for China".
- ^ @josemorgado (22 January 2024). "Zheng Qinwen plays great to easily beat Océane Dodin 6–0, 6–3 in 59 minutes to reach the QFs at the #AusOpen" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Comeback Queen: Zheng storms into semifinals". ausopen.com. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ "Zheng Qinwen defeats Kalinskaya in three sets to make Australian Open semis". Women's Tennis Association. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ "Zheng Qinwen bests Yastremska at Australian Open to make first Slam final".
- ^ Gill Tan (25 January 2024). "Queen victorious: Zheng to meet Sabalenka in AO 2024 decider". Tennis Australia. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ "Rankings Watch: Zheng makes Top 10 debut; Mertens back to No.1 in doubles". WTA Tour. 29 January 2024.
- ^ "Frosty handshake and explosive words end ugly Olympics grudge match". 7NEWS. 30 July 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ "Olympic tennis bracket 2024: Full draw, schedule for men's and women's singles in Paris | Sporting News Australia". www.sportingnews.com. 3 August 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ "Zheng Qinwen first Chinese player ever to win Olympic tennis singles gold". The Straits Times. 4 August 2024. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ Kaplan, Emily (3 August 2024). "Zheng wins China's first gold in tennis singles". ESPN.com. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ Futterman, Matthew; Hansen, James. "Olympic women's singles gold medal match: Zheng Qinwen beats Donna Vekic". New York Times. Archived from the original on 3 August 2024.
- ^ McNamara, Paul (4 August 2024). "Zheng Qinwen aims to inspire Chinese girls after historic Olympic tennis gold". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ "Zheng Qinwen rewards raucous Chinese support to grab gold in tense tennis final". The Observer. 3 August 2024. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ a b c HOWARD FENDRICH (3 August 2024). "Zheng Qinwen wins China's first Olympic tennis singles gold, inspired by Li Na and Liu Xang". AP News. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ "Zheng Qinwen eyes Olympics history in Li Na's Paris footsteps". Yahoo! Sports. 2 August 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ a b Thanvi, Ishika (5 August 2024). "Meet Zheng Qinwen, Chinese Gold Medalist Who Also Beat World No 1". SheThePeople. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
Following her Olympic gold win, Zheng expressed her desire to inspire young Asians to pursue tennis, much like her idol Li Na and hurdler Liu Xiang, China's first Olympic gold medalist in men's track and field. Zheng attributes her success to the unwavering support of her parents...
- ^ Kapetanakis, Arthur (5 August 2024). "Zheng Qinwen wins China's first singles gold medal at Paris 2024 Olympics". US Open (tennis).
- ^ Sky Sports (13 February 2024). Zheng Qinwen describes herself as ____ 😅 | Get to know the Chinese star!. Retrieved 4 August 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ Kane, David (3 September 2023). "Zheng Qinwen loves rollercoasters, karaoke, and Blackpink, thinks Coco Gauff is more talented". Tennis.com. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
"Mostly I sing Chinese songs, slower songs," added the Blackpink stan.
- ^ Livaudais, Stephanie (27 March 2023). "Blink and you'll miss her: No time for Blackpink amid Zheng Qinwen's rapid rise". Tennis.com. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ "Zheng Qinwen Advances in US Open Amid High Expectations". Innews247. 26 August 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
Zheng Qinwen demonstrates resilience and skill, advancing to the U.S. Open second round, showcasing her ability under pressure.