Zheng Qinwen Unfollows Riba Follow-up: New Coach Emerges, Netizens Reconstruct the Journey from Disagreement to Breakup

Today, China's leading female tennis star Zheng Qinwen caused another major stir in the tennis community with her social media activity. Following the early-year video revealing a training dispute, Zheng was found to have unilaterally unfollowed her long-time coach Pere Riba on Instagram, changed her profile picture, and updated her bio with a quote from German philosopher Nietzsche: "He who has a why to live can bear almost any how."

These moves have been widely interpreted as the strongest sign of a rift developing between Zheng Qinwen and coach Riba, signaling a potential major reshuffle in the Chinese star’s team.

Looking back at their partnership, Zheng Qinwen and Riba’s collaboration was a mutually beneficial success story. In 2021, then 19-year-old Zheng, ranked only 169th globally, traveled to Spain and met Riba, who had just begun his coaching career. The gentle Spanish coach impressed Zheng with his passion for tennis and personalized training approach. Under Riba’s guidance, Zheng notably improved her technical weaknesses, especially her movement on clay courts, causing her world ranking to soar.

Their cooperation was not without challenges. In June 2023, they parted ways for the first time due to performance fluctuations; Riba started coaching American rising star Gauff, helping her win the US Open title. However, their connection resumed at the end of 2023 when Zheng reached out to Riba to restart their partnership, which led to their peak achievements: runner-up at the 2024 Australian Open, Olympic gold in Paris, and finalist at the WTA Finals, with Zheng climbing to fifth in the world rankings.

Yet, success brought its own tests. At the end of 2024, Riba had to temporarily step away due to hip surgery for a recurring injury; in 2025, Zheng suffered from elbow problems that forced her to end her season early. Although Zheng returned healthy in February 2026, the team dynamics appeared to have quietly shifted.

In fact, many netizens gathered information suggesting that the “unfollow” was not sudden but had signs long before. Earlier this year, a video showed disputes between the two over training philosophies, and a more direct signal appeared recently at the Doha tournament.

In the second round of the WTA1000 Doha event, Zheng, recently recovered from injury, fought for 168 minutes to narrowly defeat Parks. However, observant fans noticed that head coach Pere Riba was mysteriously absent from the player’s box. Speculation arose: “Has Riba also quit?” Some believed tactical discussions regarding Leylah Fernandez might have been happening behind the scenes. Soon after, Zheng withdrew from the Dubai tournament citing illness, officially the flu, but combined with the recent unfollow, many suspect the “flu” was merely a cover for internal team conflicts.

As of this report, Riba’s social media still follows Zheng Qinwen, showing a “one-sided unfollow” status.

Meanwhile, as the unfollow incident unfolded, a new coach candidate for Zheng’s team surfaced. Reports indicate a new face at Zheng’s training sessions: former ATP player and clay court specialist Jordi Arrese.

The 61-year-old Arrese is a celebrated Spanish tennis veteran, known for winning the silver medal in men’s singles at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. As a clay court expert, he brings extensive coaching experience and deep tactical knowledge. Arrese and Zheng have recently followed each other on social media, strongly hinting at his potential role as her new coach.

Given Arrese’s clay court expertise, this choice may reveal Zheng’s team’s long-term strategy — besides preparing for the upcoming North American hardcourt season, they might be building momentum for the clay season and the French Open.

Amid swirling rumors, netizens spotted Zheng Qinwen today leaving Barcelona alone with her backpack, heading to California, USA, to prepare for the WTA1000 Indian Wells tournament starting in March. This solitary figure sharply contrasts with her previous journeys accompanied by Riba.

The Indian Wells event, the first of the North American “Sunshine Double,” begins on March 4. For Zheng, it will not only test the results of winter training but may also mark her first competitive appearance with potential new coach Arrese.

Zheng’s decision has sparked heated debate among fans and commentators. Some support her move: “She needs a breakthrough. Her records against Saba and Gauff are among the worst of the top players, but to win titles she must get past them. It feels like there’s a barrier that hasn’t been broken; Riba isn’t bringing anything new. Changing from Riba is a good thing.”

Others express concern over frequent coaching changes: “Is the inconsistency due to too many coach switches?” Some analysts note: “Sports are results-driven, and success is never easy.” In professional sports, changing coaches is a common part of the player’s journey.

Now, having clarified her “why to live,” Zheng Qinwen embraces new challenges and life. On her flight to Indian Wells, the Chinese star steps into the unknown alone, facing a battlefield she must conquer by herself.(Source: Tennis Home Author: Lu Xiaotian)