After securing a remarkable win at the WTA 500 tournament in Zhengzhou, emerging tennis sensation Zheng Qinwen celebrated her home-soil victory in style with an impromptu karaoke session. The 2022 WTA Newcomer of the Year demonstrated her prowess not only on the tennis court but also on the karaoke stage.
In a thrilling final, Zheng rallied from a set down to defeat Barbora Krejcikova, the 2021 Roland Garros champion, with a score of 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. This victory marked her second career title, adding to her earlier triumph in Palermo on clay in July. Zheng’s stellar performance included 10 aces and 30 winners. Still, the post-match trophy presentation stole the show as she serenaded the fans with a Chinese song, capturing their hearts and the WTA’s social media admin, who fittingly captioned it as “hitting all the right notes.”
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Karaoke holds a special place in Zheng’s heart, as she revealed during the US Open, where she reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal. She expressed her love for singing Chinese songs, especially slower melodies, but she’s not limited to that. Zheng also confessed her penchant for Chinese rap and revealed that she occasionally dabbles in singing English songs.
Zheng’s victory is not just a personal milestone but also a historic moment for Chinese tennis. She became the third Chinese player to secure a title at the WTA 500 level or higher. In 2023, she joined the ranks of Zhu Lin and Wang Xiyu, marking the first time in history that three Chinese women have each claimed at least one WTA singles title in the same year.
Reflecting on her incredible triumph, Zheng said, “When I was on the court finishing the last point, I was feeling super happy. All the crowd yelling for me, they supported me in full, in that moment, the feeling was unexplainable. It’s a lot of pressure, you could see in the match. In the first set, I was leading 2-0, [then] I lost six games in a row. There were a lot of ups and downs, but in the end, the important [thing] is to win the match, whatever happens. Right now, I’m just feeling super happy and want to enjoy the time with my team. At the end, I’m really happy to win this match and to beat such a great opponent in the final.”
Zheng Qinwen’s victory and her charming karaoke performance have undoubtedly made her a beloved figure in the world of tennis and among fans worldwide.
Qinwen Zheng in 2023
Ranked no.24, Zheng played her last match on the 15th of October when she defeated world no.18 Barbora Krejcikova 2-6 6-2 6-4 in the final in Zhengzhou to win her 2nd career title.
Currently, during this year the Chinese owns a compiled 34-18 match record. Zheng has won 2 titles in 2023 in Palermo and Zhengzhou.
