Zheng Qinwen’s comeback countdown begins, while Zhang Shuai sheds tears in a heartfelt reunion marking ten years since her Australian Open victory

The verified news of Zheng Qinwen’s arrival in Abu Dhabi means the countdown to the Chinese number one’s return is now underway.

After withdrawing from the Australian Open because she wasn’t at 100% and hadn’t fully healed, it didn’t take long before news broke that Zheng Qinwen had registered for the Abu Dhabi 500 tournament, which surprised many outside observers.

Some people then expressed doubts, wondering if Zheng Qinwen would genuinely make her official comeback at this event following the Australian Open, implying skepticism about her being at peak form in such a short time.

Soon, even more skepticism arose, with critics suggesting Zheng might have only reserved a spot without actually intending to compete, since registering and playing are two different things.

Now, with Zheng Qinwen’s arrival in Abu Dhabi and the release of related training videos, it has been further confirmed from another perspective that the Chinese top player is set to return, likely officially resuming competition in Abu Dhabi.

Moreover, Zheng’s training footage brought very encouraging news to the public: she was seen training without any elbow braces, indicating her injury has likely fully healed.

The Abu Dhabi 500 tournament begins on February 1st. Although the announced lineup is not as star-studded as the Brisbane 500 earlier this year, it still features many top players. Besides Zheng Qinwen, notable names such as Rybakina, Bencic, Alexandrov, Fernandez, Navarro, and Ostapenko are on the list, making the competition fierce.

From current public reactions, expectations for Zheng Qinwen are not very high; after all, it’s quite challenging to expect her to skyrocket immediately upon return in Abu Dhabi. Her comeback itself is a positive sign, and fans are patient for her to achieve good results without rushing.

Besides Zheng Qinwen, another Chinese tennis star currently drawing strong attention is Zhang Shuai.

After Wang Xinyu lost in two sets to Anisimova and other Chinese players were eliminated in doubles, Zhang Shuai, shortly after turning 37, once again carried the Chinese tennis flag alone at Melbourne Park, earning praise from fans and netizens as "the forever reliable flag bearer."

After partnering with Belgian star Mertens to reach the Australian Open doubles quarterfinals, Zhang Shuai, who rarely shows strong emotions after matches, was moved to tears. This day also marked the tenth anniversary of her Australian Open victory.

Ten years ago, after drawing Halep at the Australian Open, Zhang told herself that since she had never won at a Grand Slam before, she would retire if she lost again. Unexpectedly, she upset the Romanian star and advanced all the way to the quarterfinals before her journey ended.

Reflecting on that time in an interview ten years later, Zhang admitted she only cried a little then, while others cried more intensely. Now, after reaching the doubles quarterfinals at the Australian Open, others were smiling at her, but she couldn’t hold back her tears.

Zhang’s tears at the Australian Open overflowed not only because of her feelings about who she has become ten years later and relief at not giving up back then, but also due to another reason: a devoted fan from ten years ago unexpectedly appeared before her.

“I remember, because of you, because of this court, ten years ago, I’ve watched that footage countless times. I remember you laughing. Before that match, I was almost ready to retire. That victory ten years ago extended my career by another decade. You made me cry, and I made others cry, so it’s a wonderful experience in my life,” Zhang said, with the media describing the emotional reunion as “tears flowing before words.”

Ten years later, again on the same court, after Zhang reached the doubles quarterfinals, her most loyal fan and the event host from back then stood before her once more — both showing signs of aging, the fan now with gray hair and the host noticeably changed in appearance. Only 37-year-old Zhang still carries the same fighting spirit, seeming like the same young player from ten years ago, inspiring fans and netizens to cheer wildly.

Currently, Zhang Shuai has advanced to the doubles semifinals, just two wins away from her new season goal of winning a Grand Slam doubles title. Today at 2 PM Beijing time, Zhang and Mertens will compete for a spot in the Australian Open doubles final against the strong multinational pair of Chiyahara Ena and Zvonareva. Whether Zhang can carry the Chinese tennis flag to the final day of the doubles event is highly anticipated! (Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River’s Starry Sky)