Zheng Qinwen's return time has sparked heated discussions: is the 2025 season already a write-off, or can she become the second Djokovic?

All the questions surrounding Zheng Qinwen's sudden withdrawal from the Washington 500 have finally been dispelled with the announcement from China's top female player on the afternoon of the 19th regarding her elbow surgery!

However, a new question has arisen: when will Zheng Qinwen make her comeback? This has now become a mystery!

When Zheng Qinwen revealed through her personal social media that she underwent elbow surgery, she emphasized three points: first, the surgery went very smoothly; second, she wants to resolve the persistent injury in her right elbow to become stronger; and third, she aims to return to the court in peak condition.

The lack of a specific return timeline has sparked discussions about when Zheng Qinwen will come back. From the current public reaction, there are various speculations.

These speculations can be broadly categorized into two types: one suggests that Zheng Qinwen's 2025 season is already a write-off, and her return will not happen until 2026; the other believes she will return before the US Open and that it will not affect her participation in the last Grand Slam of the year or the Chinese season.

The reason for the first speculation mainly stems from the complexity of Zheng Qinwen's elbow injury, which requires a recovery period of 3-6 months. If we follow this timeline, then saying Zheng Qinwen's 2025 season is already a write-off does not seem unreasonable.

However, the speculation that has raised deep doubts among many is that Zheng Qinwen has already emphasized "minimally invasive" in her statement, indicating that this is not a major surgery, and perhaps the recovery time will not be that long. Some netizens who are well-versed in medicine and related surgeries pointed out that recovery time can vary greatly and depends on the situation.

Therefore, many people generally believe that the second speculation is relatively plausible. Zheng Qinwen will certainly miss the Montreal and Cincinnati tournaments, but there is still a chance for the US Open and the Chinese season. The reason is that as the person involved, no one knows the details better than Zheng Qinwen herself. If her situation were serious enough to lead to a season-ending injury, it is believed that she would have clearly stated it in her announcement. The fact that she did not explicitly mention it can also be interpreted as "the surgery went very smoothly, which will naturally shorten the recovery time."

The type of elbow injury that Zheng Qinwen is facing is not uncommon in the tennis world; players like Djokovic, Nadal, and Kyrgios have all encountered similar issues. Some speculate that this surgery might lead to Zheng Qinwen's 2025 season being a write-off because they have seen others enter long recovery periods after their surgeries. However, they overlook one key point: the surgeries they underwent were not "minimally invasive," which is a significant difference from Zheng Qinwen's situation, and thus their recovery timelines will differ.

Furthermore, with today's advanced technology, Zheng Qinwen's surgery is not a major one, and modern technology and advanced rehabilitation methods will undoubtedly help her recover faster, possibly not requiring the full 3-6 months.

Taking Djokovic's unexpected injury at the 2024 French Open as an example, when it was revealed that the Serbian star had suffered a torn meniscus in his knee, most people believed his 2024 season would be a write-off.

However, Djokovic returned to the court in just three weeks, not missing Wimbledon, the Paris Olympics, or any other major events.

As more details emerged, the public was astonished to learn that Djokovic resumed training just nine days after his surgery. Some expressed surprise, stating, "With a knee meniscus injury, you should at least be lying down for 1-2 months!"

Why was Djokovic initially presumed to be out for the season, only to make an unbelievable return and be regarded as a medical miracle? It was certainly due to high-tech methods.

For top players, when money is not an issue, they will certainly utilize all available high-tech means to aid their swift recovery and facilitate their return to the court. The rapid return to competition and the pursuit of glory is not only the player's greatest expectation but also the biggest wish of sponsors. If a player has the financial means, they will undoubtedly spare no expense in seeking all advantageous high-tech solutions to expedite their recovery, showcasing the immense value of money in such scenarios.

From the hospital photos released by Zheng Qinwen, she appears to be in very good condition. Coupled with the fact that China's top female player is always extremely eager for honor and financially secure, many believe that the medical miracle created by high technology for Djokovic in 2024 is likely to be repeated with Zheng Qinwen, allowing her to leverage all available high-tech resources for a swift return to the court, potentially becoming the second Djokovic and not missing significant events like the US Open or the entire Chinese season!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River's Starry Sky)