False revival? Last week's runner-up in Doha withdrew again in the first round!

The spotlight in sports recently is definitely on the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics. While it may not have the same buzz as the Summer Games, it remains a once-every-four-years event. Since the 2022 Beijing Olympics, the Winter Games have seen a huge rise in domestic interest. Additionally, stars such as Eileen Gu and Su Yiming add extra appeal to the competition.

Naturally, the WTA 1000 event in Doha this week also deserves attention. Many fans have been following Zheng Qinwen's debut in the 2026 season. Facing former Australian Open singles champion Sofia Kenin, Zheng lost the first set 4-6 but fought back to win the next two sets, completing a 2-1 comeback. She earned 65 ranking points and $26,000 in prize money.

Throughout the match, Zheng Qinwen showcased a powerful serve, delivering as many as 20 aces and dominating with 43 winners to 8 unforced errors. Her current ranking has risen from 26th to 23rd. In the next round, she will face Paula Badosa, who upset seeded player Schneider in the first round.

It’s worth noting that Zheng Qinwen was not the only Chinese player to advance in the women’s singles yesterday. Wang Xinyu, who has been performing well this season, continued her strong form in Doha by winning in straight sets against Arango. However, due to an unlucky draw, Wang will face top seed Leylah Fernandez in the next round, who recently claimed her second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open and is currently in great form.

In contrast, Raducanu, who reached the singles final last week in Cluj-Napoca, had a less impressive performance. Rushing from Romania to Doha, she faced qualifier Osorio in the first round. After winning the first set, she lost the second 4-6. When trailing 0-2 in the decider, Raducanu retired, allowing Osorio to advance to the second round of this Doha tournament.

For Raducanu, this is already one of several retirements in her career. Many fans believe that not only is her physical condition fragile, but her mental toughness as a professional athlete is also lacking.

It should be noted that last week’s final in Romania was only Raducanu’s second career final since the US Open. Although she lost to the local favorite Costea, her runner-up finish sparked hopes of a comeback for the British player. This recent retirement unfortunately dampens those expectations, especially since continuous competition is a normal part of a professional athlete’s life.

Of course, Raducanu was not the only player to retire in Doha yesterday. Defending champion Anisimova also retired while trailing in the final set against Karolina Muchova. As the defending champion, Anisimova lost 1000 ranking points and her current ranking dropped from fourth to sixth.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Barbie)