Zheng Qinwen: Elbow injury emerged during Paris Olympics, accidentally unfollowed Riba, looks forward to facing Serena Williams

China's top tennis player Zheng Qinwen, currently preparing for the WTA 1000 Indian Wells tournament, gave an exclusive interview during the pre-tournament media day. She discussed her elbow injury and current recovery, addressed the recent online buzz about her split with coach Pere Riba, and also mentioned American legend Serena Williams.

Regarding her elbow injury, Zheng Qinwen revealed a surprising secret to reporters: as early as 2024, her elbow had already shown warning signs.

"Actually, back in 2024, I started having some vague pain in my elbow, but I didn't want to give up the entire season or stop playing," Zheng recalled. "So for many matches, I took painkillers to compete, for example during the Paris Olympics, and also at the US Open and the Riyadh Finals."

These remarks immediately sparked discussion among fans. The image of her fighting for her country and winning gold at the Paris Olympics is still vivid, yet behind that heroic performance was reliance on medication for support.

After undergoing surgery in 2025 and a lengthy rehabilitation, Zheng Qinwen gained a philosophical new perspective on "fast and slow": "I feel I've learned many different things from this process. My body sent me signals, but I didn't listen to it. Now I've also learned a lot from this and grown considerably." She admitted that in the future, she will be wiser in choosing to heed her body's signals.

Furthermore, Zheng Qinwen's recent action of unfollowing coach Pere Riba on social media sparked external speculation about a coach-player split. Regarding this, Zheng firmly denied it in the interview, stating it was merely an accidental unfollow: "My cooperation with Riba has not ended, it really hasn't ended. He's just temporarily not with the team, taking a break for a while."

She explained why she wrote Nietzsche's quote in her profile: "'He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.' For these past six months, I haven't been competing much, on and off. I feel in my heart: if you know what you want, you can endure everything life throws at you."

Regarding the new addition to her team, Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis, Zheng Qinwen expressed anticipation: "I hope he can bring some different changes for me and help my tennis improve further."

Netizens commented: "Was the unfollow a tactical stealth move? Such a bold move, I almost thought Riba was really let go!" Others said, "Her serve has taken off after the surgery! This adjustment was worth it, looking forward to the new coach bringing a fresh atmosphere."

When asked about the recent hot topic in tennis—Serena Williams' potential comeback—Zheng Qinwen, a self-proclaimed "fan girl," lit up. She stated frankly that Serena has been her unwavering idol since childhood, admitting: "Absolutely! She pioneered power tennis in women's game. Since I was little, whenever people asked me which player's style I most wanted to emulate, I would say without hesitation: Serena Williams for women and Roger Federer for men."

Although her idol is Serena, Zheng Qinwen isn't content with just facing the legend if she returns at 43; she has a more "crazy" idea: "If I had to choose, I'd prefer to play against Serena in her prime. Although I know that's impossible, I've always been someone who loves a challenge." She even clearly remembers the fearsome aspects of peak Serena: "I know during Serena's peak, her serve speed was very fast, and all her offensive abilities were excellent."

When the reporter joked that perhaps AI technology could make this matchup happen in a virtual world, Zheng Qinwen also couldn't help but laugh, responding with a smile: "I don't know about that, but if it's possible, it should be quite fun!"

Towards the end of the interview, Zheng Qinwen also chatted about lighter topics. This year is her zodiac year (Year of the Horse). This Hubei-native girl known for her powerful attacks on court still follows traditional customs in private. "Yes, my parents will prepare these for me," Zheng said, pointing to the pendant on her necklace. "This little horse on my necklace was bought by her (my mom), and she also gave me a red bracelet with a little horse inside. She really did give me red underwear, pants, socks, and such. People from my hometown do still believe in these things quite a bit."

Carrying these blessings from family and a body reborn from adversity, Zheng Qinwen is about to embark on a new journey at Indian Wells. Whether facing the "slowness" of injury or the "speed" of challenging strong opponents, she is ready to write a new chapter.(Source: Tennis Home Author: Lu Xiaotian)