Zheng Qinwen eyes home success after US Open run

BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Fresh from a run to the US Open quarterfinals, Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen heads into the China Open with renewed confidence after putting a lengthy injury layoff behind her.

China's Zheng Qinwen returns a shot during the women's singles third round match against Madison Keys of the United States at the 2026 US Open in New York, Sept. 5, 2026. (Photo: Xinhua)

Zheng came through qualifying at the US Open before reaching the last eight, beating Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek before losing to Elena Rybakina. The run marked a significant step forward after elbow surgery in 2025 and a lengthy recovery that disrupted her progress.

"My expectation is just to try to play my tennis every single match and let's see what's going to happen," Zheng said Tuesday. "I know where I'm capable to be. My highest ranking is No. 4. I still believe I could do much better than that. I really want to see what I can bring in the future.

"I know deep inside me, but I have to prove it."

Playing on home soil brings added pressure, but Zheng said she was eager to perform in front of Chinese fans.

"I think to play in China is like playing the fifth Grand Slam for me. They are the same important. Of course, I want to perform super well in front of my people," she said. "I have extra pressure, yes. At the same time, I also get extra support from all the fans, so I have nothing to complain about."

Zheng also reflected on the lessons of her recovery, acknowledging that decisions made during her rehabilitation contributed to further setbacks.

"After the surgery, during the recovery, because of a lack of understanding of the recovery, not enough visits to the doctors or receiving advice from different doctors, I was making some wrong choices in this period."

Zheng underwent elbow surgery in July 2025 after Wimbledon and returned at the China Open just over two months later. She won her opening match before retiring in the third round because of renewed elbow discomfort.

"My doctor told me I was able to play in those matches. But after these tournaments, the condition worsened, which took me longer to recover."

Zheng said she was physically in good condition, although she added that she had been coughing and had not fully recovered from a recent illness.

The main draw of the WTA 1000 tournament begins Wednesday, with Zheng set to face 21-year-old Chinese qualifier Shi Han in the first round.