2023 Most improved player and Chinese No. 1 WTA player, Qinwen Zheng achieved a career-high singles ranking of No. 7 (current ranking) in January 2024 after finishing runner-up at the 2024 Australian Open. She lost to defending champion and No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in her debut major final. Zheng reached her maiden major final, defeating Dayana Yastremska in the semifinals.
With the win, Zheng became the fourth player from China to reach the semifinals after Zheng Jie, Li Na, and Peng Shuai. She fetched a prize money of A$1,725,000 after reaching the final. She has won three WTA titles to date, including the 2023 Palermo Ladies Open and the 2023 Zhengzhou Open. She reached her second WTA 500 trophy by defeating Barbora Krejcikova in the final. She finished as a finalist at the 2023 WTA Elite Trophy, defeating compatriot Lin Zhu in the semifinals. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Zheng won a gold medal in the singles category, defeating Donna Vekic in the final and Iga Swiatek in the semifinal.
In 2022, Zheng was named the WTA Newcomer of the Year after winning one WTA Challenger title and eight ITF Singles titles. Her other notable accomplishments include helping China reach the quarterfinals of the 2024 United Cup, where they lost to Team Poland, and winning the Most Improved Player award.
Qinwen Zheng's playing style can be described as an aggressive baseliner who likes to take the ball early and control points from the baseline. She has a good first serve and can generate heavy topspin from both wings. She reached the quarterfinal of the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships and the 2024 Italian Open, losing to World No. 1 Swiatek and Coco Gauff, respectively. Zheng's playing style is well-suited for hard courts. However, she has also demonstrated success on clay. In 2022, she reached the fourth round of the French Open, where she lost to Iga Swiatek in three sets.
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Qinwen Zheng Coach
Qinwen Zheng is currently coached by Pere Riba. Riba is a former professional tennis player from Spain, who achieved his career-high singles ranking of No. 65 in May 2011.
Zheng and Riba started working together at the beginning of 2021 and they split after the French Open in 2023. Following the split, Riba started working with Coco Gauff and helped her win her first Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2023. After the split with Riba, Zheng hired Belgian coach Wim Fissette. But their partnership ended shortly, as Fissette chose to work with his former charge Naomi Osaka.
Before the 2023 WTA Finals, Riba left Gauff's coaching team for personal reasons. But a few days later, Zheng announced that she and Riba would work together from the 2024 season. In her Instagram post, Zheng wrote: “Reunited after some time apart, ready to embark on the journey together and prepare for the upcoming year,"
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When Did Qinwen Zheng Turn Pro?
Qinwen Zheng embarked on her professional tennis journey in 2020, at the tender age of 17. Her remarkable skills led her to make her WTA Tour debut at the Palermo Ladies Open in 2021. Displaying immense talent and determination, she triumphed over second seed Liudmila Samsonova in the first round. Zheng's ascent through the rankings has been swift since turning professional. In 2022, she reached her first WTA Tour final at the Melbourne Summer Set 1 and also made it to the fourth round of the French Open.
Zheng holds the No. 7 spot in singles as of November 2024, establishing herself as one of the most exhilarating young talents in tennis. Her remarkable potential is poised to make her a dominant force on the WTA Tour in the coming years.
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FAQs on Who is Qinwen Zheng’s Coach
A. Qinwen Zheng is 22 years old as of 2024. She was born on October 8, 2002 in Shiyan, China.
A. Qinwen Zheng is 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) tall.
A. Qinwen Zheng lives in Barcelona, Spain.
A. According to the WTA website, Zheng has won over $6 million in prize money as of November 2024.
A. Qinwen Zheng helped China win a second Olympic gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, defeating Donna Vekic in the final.