WATCH: Hilarious scenes at Tokyo Open as Zheng Qinwen forgets to take the tag off her clothes; left in splits after being reminded by 2R opponent
A humorous moment unfolded during Zheng Qinwen's second-round match at the Tokyo Open when she unknowingly wore her on-court attire with the tag still attached. Facing Japan's Moyuka Uchijima, the 22-year-old was informed of the oversight by her opponent during the pre-match photoshoot.
Qinwen has enjoyed a solid run during the Asian hardcourt swing, reaching the semifinals of the China Open and finishing runner-up at the Wuhan Open. Though she had to withdraw from the Ningbo Tennis Open due to health concerns, she made a strong comeback at the Tokyo Open.
As the top seed, Qinwen received a first-round bye and faced Moyuka Uchijima in the second round. The World No. 7 encountered some resistance in the first set but secured it 7-5, before dominating the second set, taking it 6-0.
Before swinging her racket on the court, the reigning Olympic gold medalist found herself in a humorous moment when she stepped onto the court with the tag still attached to her tennis attire. Uchijima pointed it out to her before the pre-match photoshoot, leaving Qinwen in stitches as she quickly removed the tag before taking her position.
You can watch the video shared by WTA on Instagram, below:
This marked the first meeting between Qinwen and Uchijima on tour, with the Chinese ultimately prevailing.
Zheng Qinwen will face Leylah Fernandez in the Tokyo Open quarterfinals
Zheng Qinwen is set to face Leylah Fernandez in the Tokyo Open quarterfinals. The Canadian advanced to the last eight after receiving a walkover against Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the first round, followed by a win over Varvara Gracheva in the second.
Ahead of their clash, Qinwen praised Fernandez's unique playing style, noting her quick ball striking and the need for constant alertness. She said (via WTA),
"I think she's a really good player, and she has a different game style compared to the others. She takes the ball really early, so you don't have too much time between the shots. You always have to be alert, and it's not easy to play against her. But next time I will be on my best, like what I did last time,"
Fernandez and Qinwen have met thrice on tour, with the latter holding a 2-1 advantage in their head-to-head record. Their most recent match took place in the third round of the 2024 Wuhan Open, where Qinwen emerged victorious 5-7, 6-3, 6-0.
The winner of this match will face either Diana Shnaider or Sayaka Ishii in the semifinals.