Zheng Qinwen’s comeback sends five positive signals, see you next stop in Dubai!

This week, Chinese star Zheng Qinwen made her injury comeback debut at the WTA 1000 Doha tournament. After undergoing right elbow surgery following last year’s grass-court season, she briefly returned at the China Open but then stepped away from competition again.

Zheng Qinwen secured comeback wins in the first two rounds against Kenin and Parks; in the third round, she fought hard in three sets but narrowly lost to the new Australian Open champion, Rybakina. Although she missed out on the quarterfinals, Zheng showed many encouraging signs during the matches.

Zheng Qinwen

1. Excellent physical condition with improved endurance

In this tournament, Zheng Qinwen played three consecutive three-set matches, totaling 7 hours and 14 minutes on court. The second-round match against Parks lasted an intense 2 hours and 48 minutes, a huge test for her after a long absence. Despite a tight schedule of playing every day, Zheng demonstrated her level and capability well over these three consecutive days.

Compared to last year, Zheng’s physique is noticeably stronger and more muscular, which undoubtedly helps her recover and adjust quickly between matches. The enhanced muscle tone in her arms and legs is clear evidence of her hard training during the break.

2. Fearless against tough opponents, confidently fighting for victory

Looking back at Zheng Qinwen’s three opponents in this event, all were formidable. Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open women’s singles champion, uses a fast-paced flat hitting style that keeps her in control from the baseline; Parks, though ranked lower, was once seen as Serena Williams’ successor and is a dangerous competitor. Rybakina, the newly crowned Australian Open champion, boasts an impressive 22-1 record since the WTA Ningbo event last year and has just reentered the top 3, with confidence and form at their peak.

Rybakina praised Zheng’s performance, saying: “She played really well. Some shots were unbelievable, and her serve was great. It’s wonderful to see her back. I was ahead in the third set but couldn’t close it out; in the end, I won, and I’m happy.”

3. Continuous improvement in serving, increasingly diverse tactics

Zheng Qinwen’s serving was impressive across these three intense matches, hitting 20 aces in her first match against Kenin and increasing the total to 34 after three matches. By comparison, Rybakina hit 47 aces over seven matches en route to her title. Notably, Zheng maintained a first-serve success rate around 60%, with first-serve point winning percentages of 85%, 68%, and 70%, showing marked improvement in consistency.

Her powerful serve not only generated many easy points and eased pressure on her service games but also expanded her tactical options. The ability to follow serves with drop shots, aggressive net approaches, and adaptable forehand-backhand responses helped her control match rhythm. This adaptability reflects Zheng’s dedicated work during her break.

4. Rising to the occasion, resilient and focused under pressure

Throughout the tournament, Zheng demonstrated strong resilience, excellent mental toughness, and exceptional clutch-point execution. In the first round, after losing the opening set, she rallied to defeat Kenin. In the second round, she saved multiple break points and match points in the first set, winning in a tiebreak, and then dominated Parks in the following sets, saving a total of 13 break points. In the third round against Rybakina, she saved a match point while trailing 2-5 in the decider, leveling the score to 5-5.

Although she lost to Rybakina, Zheng’s comeback performance earned widespread praise from fans both domestically and internationally, with many optimistic about her swift return to the top 10. However, Zheng remains grounded, reflecting after the match: “My focus fluctuates during matches, and sometimes I zone out for long stretches. I guess that’s because I haven’t played much recently. I hope playing more matches will improve this. I’m always looking for ways to improve, and that’s what I gained this week.”

5. Injury behind her, elbow recovery excellent

The biggest concern for fans during Zheng’s comeback was undoubtedly her right elbow injury. In a pre-tournament interview, Zheng revealed that due to a misjudgment by the medical team, her rushed return at last year’s China Open caused additional hardship and setbacks to her elbow’s healing. Therefore, she approached this return to competition with more caution.

Fortunately, after this tournament, Zheng confirmed that her elbow did not worsen despite the long matches: “My elbow hasn’t gotten worse, which is good news. After playing such long matches, my elbow stayed healthy, and that makes me very happy.” After these three high-intensity battles, her elbow injury is essentially behind her, and the healthy Zheng Qinwen fans know is making a strong comeback.

Zheng Qinwen to compete at WTA 1000 Dubai tournament

Regardless, Zheng Qinwen’s 2-1 record in her comeback event is an encouraging result. Beyond the wins, her competitive level and mental state after overcoming injury challenges have fans excited for her 2026 season. Next week, Zheng will remain in the Middle East to compete at the WTA 1000 Dubai event. Let’s keep supporting her!

(Article and editing by Dato, images by Visual China)