Chinese tennis star Zheng Qinwen has shed light on her decision to avoid forming friendships with fellow players on the WTA Tour. The 22-year-old, who enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2024, reaching the Australian Open final and winning gold at the Paris Olympics, revealed that keeping relationships strictly professional has been a conscious choice shaped by her past experiences.
In an interview during the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Zheng stated her preference for maintaining distance from competitors, emphasizing the intense nature of the sport. “There is a lot of competition between us. I am a very sensitive girl. I don’t feel like I can become friends with someone and then have to compete on the court,” Zheng explained.
The Chinese player highlighted how her desire to see friends succeed in life conflicted with her competitive drive in tournaments. “Deep down, if it’s a friend, I want her to win and succeed. It’s the opposite of what I think in a tennis tournament. Once I understood that, I decided not to try to make friends on the tour.”
Zheng traced this mindset back to her junior days, when losing players often struggled to hide their disappointment after matches. “When I was a junior, if I beat my friends, they would get upset with me. Little by little, I realized you can never make friends on tour,” she told The South China Morning Post.
Zheng also revealed that her interactions with fellow players rarely extend beyond a polite “hello” or “congrats” when warranted. For her, the boundaries are clear: the court is for competition, and friendships are reserved for life outside the tennis world.
With a career-best season in 2024, Zheng’s approach appears to be working. Her rise to the top eight and a spot in the WTA Finals underscore her focus and dedication to excelling in one of the most competitive arenas in sports.
Qinwen Zheng in 2024
Now ranked no.5 (career-high), Qinwen played her last encounter on the 9th of November when she capitulated to world no.3 Cori Gauff 3-6 6-4 7-6(2) in the final in Riyadh (draw).
Currently, during this season Qinwen achieved an overall 52-18 record. Zheng conquered 3 titles in 2024 in Palermo, Paris and Tokyo. Qinwen was the runner-up at the Australian Open, Wuhan and Riyadh.
Qinwen Zheng will face the world no.224 Alice Tubello in the quarter. In the past, they have never competed against each other until now on the main tour.
The Chinese has won 3 titles in 2024 in Palermo, Paris and Tokyo. Zheng reached the final at the Australian Open, in Wuhan (Wuhan Open) and in Riyadh (WTA Finals).
Qinwen won 5 titles in her career: 2 on hard courts and 3 on clay courts. (See the list of her titles)
Qinwen Zheng |
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