Zheng Qinwen: Missing the feeling of competing, the break lasted longer than expected

Zheng Qinwen is set to debut her comeback this evening at the WTA1000 Doha event. She had elbow surgery after Wimbledon last year and only competed once at the China Open, missing several tournaments such as last year’s US Open and this year’s Australian Open. During a Tennis Channel interview last Saturday, Zheng shared her strong desire to compete again and stated she is prepared for her return.

In the interview, Zheng said, "It feels amazing to be back on the tour; I really missed the matches and the competition, the thrill of giving my all on the court." Before Wimbledon last year, Zheng had consistent results during the clay season, including reaching the semifinals at the WTA1000 Rome event (where she defeated world No.1 Sabalenka), followed by a quarterfinal run at the French Open.

Regarding her decision to skip the Australian Open, Zheng explained, "Although my physical recovery has been progressing well and my training during the break was solid, competing in a Grand Slam requires players to be at their peak, and I haven’t yet reached the ideal level I set for myself."

Talking about her feelings ahead of the comeback, Zheng said, "It’s been a long time since I last played. I didn’t expect the injury to keep me out for so long, especially needing surgery. It took much longer than I imagined. But now I’m back, feeling better physically, and I just hope to perform well and give my best on the court."

Currently ranked No.26 in the world, Zheng enters this Doha tournament unseeded. She is placed in the bottom half alongside second seed Lyubakina, and will face former Australian Open champion Kenin in the first round. The match is scheduled as the third on Court 1, expected to start at 9:00 PM Beijing time tonight.

(Translated by Wang Fei, Photo by Li Jianyi)