Zheng Qinwen has confirmed her withdrawal from the US Open, and her mixed doubles partnership with Draper has fallen through. CCTV states that this will not affect the Chinese season.

China's top player Zheng Qinwen officially announced today that she will withdraw from the upcoming US Open at the end of August due to an unresolved right elbow injury. This marks the first time in her career that she has had to withdraw from a Grand Slam event before it starts. The news quickly attracted widespread attention and regret from both domestic and international tennis circles.

The most regrettable aspect of Zheng Qinwen's withdrawal for fans is that her much-anticipated mixed doubles partnership with British star Draper will not take place. However, compounding the disappointment for this year's US Open mixed doubles is that another high-profile duo, Tsitsipas and Badosa, who had previously registered, will also be absent from the event for various reasons.

The US Open mixed doubles main draw features a total of 25 spots. According to the rules, 8 pairs will directly qualify based on the combined singles rankings of the players, while another 8 pairs will receive wild cards from the tournament. With changes in the participant list, the latest entry list for the US Open mixed doubles has been updated:

Among the newly registered pairs, several doubles specialists can be seen: Siniakova/Arevalo, Hsieh Su-wei/Zelensky, and Klajberchik/Darian-King. Additionally, the list includes eight newly confirmed pairs: Muchova/Rublev, Bolt/Deminaar, Vekic/Hurkacz, Jovic/Brooksby, Anisimova/Rune, Dabrowski/Aliassime, Shulz/Glickspoor, and Venus/Williams/Opelka.

In response to the withdrawal of China’s top player, CCTV Sports Channel promptly provided coverage, quoting an evaluation of Zheng Qinwen: “The news of Zheng Qinwen withdrawing from the 2025 US Open due to her right elbow injury truly brings regret to all who care about her. It also highlights the resilience and clarity of a top athlete in the face of challenges. From the successful completion of her right elbow arthroscopic surgery on July 18 to the decision to withdraw, each step reflects her long-term consideration for her career.”

Furthermore, the report noted that although the estimated recovery period for the surgery is 3 to 4 weeks, theoretically, there was a chance to make it to the US Open. However, for the sake of her long-term health, Zheng Qinwen's team ultimately made this difficult yet responsible decision.

CCTV tennis commentator Xu Yang further revealed that Zheng Qinwen's elbow issues have been ongoing for quite some time, having first appeared during last winter's training. For over 7 months, she has been competing while injured, undergoing multiple examinations and taking protective measures during competitions.

Reports from Hubei Sports clarified the source of her injury: experts diagnosed that the pain was caused by two loose bone fragments in Zheng Qinwen's elbow. To thoroughly address the issue and strive for a return to the court in optimal condition, her team carefully discussed and ultimately chose to go to Switzerland for arthroscopic surgery. Currently, Zheng Qinwen's father, Zheng Jianping, has traveled to Switzerland to accompany and care for his daughter during her recovery.

Although it is regrettable that she will miss the US Open, Zheng Qinwen's team and Chinese fans are already looking forward to the upcoming Chinese season. According to the latest news from CCTV: if the recovery process goes smoothly, she is still expected to participate in important domestic events, including the China Open.

In fact, even before the news broke, many anticipated the possibility of her missing the North American hard court season. Some sports experts suggested at that time that China's top player might need a recovery period of up to three months, effectively ending her season. Now, although she has confirmed her withdrawal from the US Open, there remains uncertainty regarding the Asian season. However, for many fans, the worst-case scenario has already been considered.

Injuries are the greatest enemy of professional athletes. Previously, Djokovic faced elbow issues at the end of the 2016 season, enduring a long recovery period that almost led him to consider retirement after the 2018 French Open. Ultimately, with the support of his coach and family, he made a remarkable comeback at Wimbledon in 2018. With Djokovic's experience as a cautionary tale, it remains a mystery when China’s top player will return. This question is likely still a puzzle, and we await further updates!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)