Team does not support my comeback? Zheng Qinwen: I definitely want to!

Do you know how many people entered the National Tennis Center—the venue of the China Open—yesterday? The number reached an astonishing 45,000+ entries in a single day. According to the tournament organizers, yesterday’s attendance broke the China Open’s previous record of 44,000.

On October 1, 2024, the first day of the National Day holiday, the National Tennis Center welcomed a record 44,000 visitors, but yesterday was just an ordinary Saturday and that number was already surpassed. Among the venues, the one hosting Sinner and Zheng Qinwen was particularly lively, with the Diamond Court’s attendance exceeding 90%.

Thanks to the outstanding performances of local players and the presence of many star players, this year’s China Open single-day attendance record of 45,000 is likely to be continuously broken, especially with the upcoming National Day holiday expected to bring even larger crowds.

Players such as Krejcikova, Ostapenko, Rybakina, Paolini, Gauff, and Sinner met their fans at the China Open. Among them, local player Zheng Qinwen is enjoying the home-court advantage. After undergoing minimally invasive right elbow arthroscopy surgery in July, she returned to competition after exactly 88 days.

However, Zheng Qinwen’s elbow has not fully recovered yet, which can be seen from her relatively slow serve speed. Zheng herself admitted she still experiences some pain while playing.

Meanwhile, Zheng Qinwen’s team actually didn’t support her returning so early at the China Open. “Actually, the team didn’t really support me playing this year’s China Open because I haven’t fully recovered.”

But Zheng was very eager to compete. Having arrived early at the National Tennis Center to prepare, she deeply felt the enthusiasm of the fans. “I said no, I must do it. I really want to keep playing in front of everyone.”

After successfully stepping on court and winning her first match against Arango in straight sets, Zheng Qinwen smiled happily in front of the camera. “I feel really joyful because missing the US Open was very disappointing for me, but this comeback, I think I delivered a great match.”

“I also saw how much support the fans gave me and how happy they were to see me again. I truly felt their passion, which gives me more motivation to play. So, my main reason for participating in the China Open this time is because of them (the fans).”

After securing her third win against Arango and advancing to the last 32 in the women’s singles at this China Open, Zheng Qinwen will face the 26th seed Noskova in the next round. We look forward to her winning several more matches here!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Barbie)