Zheng Qinwen's match against Kenin today is seen as a preliminary test, with two pre-match incidents sparking widespread discussion.

Zheng Qinwen's comeback match schedule is set; the Chinese star will take on former Australian Open champion Kenin at 9 PM Beijing time today!

The response from the public regarding the match between Zheng Qinwen and Kenin is rather intriguing.

One viewpoint suggests that luck in Doha is favoring Zheng Qinwen, as knowing she has just recovered from injury and may face many uncertainties, they sent Kenin—who has had a terrible start to the new season—her way. It’s like using this former Australian Open champion as a practice opponent, helping the Chinese star quickly adapt to the tour’s competitive rhythm.

Another opinion stresses that although Kenin has suffered three consecutive losses this season and is underperforming, it would be a mistake to consider the American player an easy opponent. Zheng Qinwen could potentially stumble unexpectedly. The reason is that a Grand Slam champion like Kenin often plays especially seriously against key rivals, likely bringing out her best form. Zheng must not underestimate her in the first round in Doha; otherwise, she risks an early exit, and the buzz Zheng created at the welcome dinner would quickly fade away.

At the Doha 1000 tournament welcome dinner, Zheng Qinwen caused quite a stir for her all-black dress look. The WTA officially described it as "switching to supermodel mode," while her fans praised her elegance and charm, calling her the "walking supermodel Wen."

So, Zheng Qinwen has already grabbed attention off the court before even stepping onto it, overshadowing other players. If she performs poorly in her debut against Kenin, the loss will be significant.

Many fans and netizens say that regardless of whether Kenin is an easy or tough opponent, this match against the former Australian Open champion serves as a "baseline test" for Zheng’s comeback. It will reveal how well her body has recovered and her current form. After this game, a clearer picture will emerge.

In addition, two off-court incidents before Zheng Qinwen’s appearance sparked heated debate online, even causing some of her supporters considerable dissatisfaction, especially about the second incident.

Since withdrawing from the Abu Dhabi 500 event, Zheng quickly arrived in Doha with her team. Based on the training videos released earlier, many praised her good condition. Especially with many top players like Sabalenka and Pegula withdrawing, some fans even boldly predicted her to win the title, showing great optimism for her comeback.

However, the release of the Doha 1000 tournament’s winning odds poured cold water on these supporters’ hopes.

Compared to Leylah Fernandez at 3.6 as the top favorite, Swiatek at 4, Gauff at 7, and Anisimova at 8, Zheng Qinwen was ranked near the bottom with odds of 67.

Some supporters felt that even if Zheng is not the absolute favorite just returning from injury, given her strength and background, such low odds are an indirect insult and somewhat excessive.

On the other hand, some fans and netizens argue that although top competitors like Sabalenka have withdrawn, elite players such as Leylah Fernandez, Swiatek, Gauff, and Anisimova remain. Zheng is just coming back, so expecting her to win the title immediately is unrealistic. They see no problem with the odds. Moreover, players like Schneider and Mertens, who have been competing continuously, share the same odds as Zheng, so it’s not unfair to the Chinese star.

If doubts about Zheng’s form after her return and the harsh betting odds can be understood, the venue assigned for her comeback match completely broke her supporters’ morale.

From their perspective, Zheng was highly praised by the WTA at the welcome dinner, giving an impression of immense popularity. Also being the "WTA’s most popular female player" for the 2025 season, her comeback match should have been scheduled on the main court. Instead, it was placed on Court 1, which clearly does not match her high profile and status.

Some supporters openly questioned why the Philippine star Ireala’s debut was on the main court while Zheng was excluded, asking, "Are Zheng and Kenin together not worthy of the big stadium appearance, less than an emerging Asian newcomer?"

Others humorously responded that judging by Ireala’s current attendance, even if not a full house, it’s still extremely popular. The organizers placing her on the main court is likely a commercial decision since tennis is first a business, then a sport.

Besides Zheng Qinwen, Wang Xinyu will also play today, taking the court at 6 PM Beijing time. In the first round, she faces Arango and is widely expected to win smoothly, with her only real opponent being herself.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moonlit River Sky)