Qinwen Zheng, the rising star of Chinese tennis, recently achieved a monumental milestone in her career by winning the Olympic gold medal in Paris. Zheng’s victory was particularly remarkable as she defeated the world No. 1 and four-time Roland Garros champion, Iga Swiatek, in the semifinals with a commanding 6-2, 7-5 performance.
Reflecting on her triumph, Zheng shared her emotions during a press conference ahead of the Cincinnati Open. “After I won the gold medal, I went to social media, Instagram, Xiaohongshu, and I saw that big picture of me. That was really nice,” Zheng remarked with pride.
Despite her victory, Zheng emphasized the fleeting nature of such achievements, noting that the focus quickly shifts back to the relentless tennis calendar. “I feel very happy, but the schedule has been very intense for me,” she admitted, adding that she had little time to rest before heading to her next tournament.
Zheng also revealed that her gold medal is already back in China, as requested by her father, who insisted it be returned to their homeland. Although her parents couldn’t join her in Paris, Zheng cherished the moment and the support she received from her team.
Looking ahead, Zheng acknowledged the challenge of maintaining her winning mentality throughout the year, especially after her experiences following the Australian Open, where she struggled to replicate her success. However, she remains determined to continue her strong performance as she prepares for Cincinnati, the US Open, and upcoming tournaments in China.
Zheng in Cincinnati, ranking, and results in 2024
Now ranked no.7 (career-high), the Chinese has achieved an overall 33-13 match record in 2024. Zheng is currently having a run in Cincinnati where she overcame Unknown Player bye and the world no.48 Magdalena Frech 6-1 7-5.
Qinwen Zheng will take on the world no.265 Alice Tubello in the quarter. They have never competed against each other until now on the main tour.
Qinwen has won 2 titles in 2024 in Palermo and Paris. The Chinese was the finalist at the Australian Open.
Qinwen won 4 titles in her career: 1 on hard courts and 3 on clay courts. (See the list of her titles)
Qinwen Zheng |
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