World No.15 Zheng Qinwen has announced her reunion with her former longtime coach Pere Riba for the upcoming 2024 season. In an Instagram post on Sunday, she revealed her return to working with Riba, expressing her eagerness to go “back to the original” and embark on their journey together.
The collaboration between Riba and Zheng originally began in 2021, culminating in significant success as the Barcelona-based Zheng ascended from beyond the Top 100 to inside the Top 30 under Riba’s guidance. Her exceptional progress led to her being honored as the WTA Newcomer of the Year in 2022.
However, the partnership saw a hiatus after Roland Garros this year, as Zheng briefly collaborated with Belgian coach Wim Fissette. Under Fissette’s guidance, Zheng claimed her maiden Hologic WTA Tour singles title in Palermo and reached the quarterfinals of the US Open. Their collaboration ended when Fissette chose to reunite with former charge Naomi Osaka, who is set to return to tennis next year after the birth of her first child.
Simultaneously, Riba had joined forces with Coco Gauff ahead of Wimbledon, achieving remarkable success that included Gauff’s triumph at the US Open. However, less than six months into their partnership, Riba and Gauff parted ways, citing personal and family health reasons that led Riba to step back from coaching.
Zheng’s decision to reunite with Riba indicates a renewed focus for the upcoming season, showcasing her confidence in their successful past collaboration and aiming for continued growth and success on the WTA Tour.
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Qinwen Zheng in 2023
Currently ranked no.15 (career-high), the Chinese played her last match on the 29th of October when she surrendered to world no.11 Beatriz Haddad Maia 7-6(11) 7-6(4) in the final in Zhuhai (draw).
At the moment, during this season the Chinese has managed to achieve a composed 37-19 match record. Qinwen clinched 2 titles in 2023 in Palermo and Zhengzhou. Zheng got to the final in Zhuhai.
