Zheng Qinwen was shortlisted for the year-end finals for the first time and withdrew from Ningxia Net due to physical reasons.
On October 16, 2024, in Beijing, Chinese tennis star Zheng Qinwen achieved a significant milestone in her professional career. Reports indicate that American player Navarro has withdrawn from both the WTA Ningbo and Tokyo events. This withdrawal ensures that Zheng’s points will secure her a spot in the year-end WTA Finals, making her the first Chinese singles player to qualify for this prestigious event since Li Na.
The WTA Finals are regarded as the season’s culminating event, reserved for players who have performed exceptionally well throughout the year. For 22-year-old Zheng, this marks her first appearance in the Finals, indicating a new level of achievement in her career. Alongside Zheng, other qualifiers this season include Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff, Paulini, Rybakina, Pegula, and Krejcikova.
Reflecting on her journey in the nearing completion of the 2024 season, Zheng has consistently pushed the boundaries of her capabilities. At the Australian Open earlier this year, she reached the finals and finished as the runner-up, setting a new personal best in Grand Slam performances. Moreover, she made history this summer by winning China’s first Olympic gold medal in women’s singles tennis at the Paris Games.
This gold medal carries immense significance for Zheng. She once expressed, “When the gold medal was placed around my neck, I realized how heavy it was; it made me feel the weight of responsibility.”
With this hard-earned honor, Zheng continues to strive on the court. Although she faced disappointment by not securing titles at both the China Open earlier this month and the recently concluded Wuhan Open, she has consistently achieved personal bests in WTA 1000 events.
Since her Olympic triumph, Zheng has had little time to rest while aiming for the year-end Finals. The demanding schedule has affected her performance to some extent. In Wuhan, she even competed while unwell, managing to secure a runner-up finish.
Consequently, Zheng made the tough decision to withdraw from the Ningbo tournament, stating, “I’m truly sorry to have to retire from Ningbo. After competing in the China Open and Wuhan, I’ve suffered some injuries and have come down with a cold. I hope to compete in Ningbo next year. I apologize for the withdrawal and hope the fans enjoy the matches here. We’ll see you next year.”
Fortunately, Zheng has already earned enough points for the Finals, and adequate rest will be beneficial in her preparations.
The WTA year-end Finals are set to take place from November 2 to 9 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Regardless of who ultimately claims the championship, Zheng’s tenacity displayed this season has undoubtedly made her fans proud.
