On Sunday, China’s Zheng Qinwen was singing a song about ‘light of dreams’ in front of a partisan Beijing crowd after sweeping 7-5, 6-4 victory over Mirra Andreeva. The ensuing year had been one of the worst where her elbow surgery culminated in her rankings dropping to over 160, the tears were understandable. But she had been turning tides for herself, and wanted to carry that same confidence into her next tournament in Wuhan. But things seldom turn up the way we want them to.

Despite just returning from the postoperative recovery, Zheng had been pushing herself tirelessly in a busy schedule. While that’s not to take away how she reached the US Open quarterfinals and then won the China Open title, that grind has now brought some bad news.

“Unfortunately Zheng Qinwen has withdrawn from @wuhanopentennis with a right shoulder injury,” the official X page of the WTA Communications announced.

When Zheng’s father discovered her talents in the sport, he took her to Wuhan at just 8-years-old to show her talents to a larger audience and coach Yu Liqiao, who he thought would suit his daughter’s training style. The now 24-year-old impressed everyone. But when it was time to pack up, her father left her there to train. For a child, it was, of course, a heartbreaking moment. But the sacrifices made from either side made it possible that she is today an Olympic champion for the country and a popular name in WTA.

The initial training stint provided her with a launchpad to move to Beijing, where she received further instruction from Carlos Rodriguez, who had previously trained another Chinese champion, Li Na.

However, despite 23 singles titles to her name, one title that has eluded her has been on her mind.

In 2024, she almost swept the Wuhan Open but was stopped by Aryna Sabalenka. Fast forward to now, with all the momentum on her side, she could’ve finally gotten over the hump. But this withdrawal is understandbly saddening for her, as she explained the reason behind the decision.

Zheng addresses her Wuhan Open withdrawal just hours after winning at Beijing

As I said, playing in Wuhan has been the young player’s forever dream and she certainly doesn’t treat it like just another WTA 1000 event. Seeing at how things turned around, though, she couldn’t help but explain the decision.

“Wuhan is where my tennis dream began, and the Wuhan Open is also where I made my breakthrough at the WTA 1000 level. I have always looked forward to competing in front of my hometown fans.

“Since returning from injury, however, I have played a demanding stretch of tennis over the past month and a half, competing at the US Open, the Billie Jean King Cup, and the China Open. My body is feeling very fatigued after this intense run of matches.

“I look forward to returning to the Wuhan Open next year and stepping onto the court in my best possible form!”

Having suffered from her elbow for the past year, it is understandable that the Chinese player wants to avoid a shoulder injury, especially as she is getting back to form. Even though her qualifying journey at the US Open has earned her a lot of plaudits, it does not change the fact that Zheng had to play four matches (excluding qualifiers) just to reach the quarterfinals. Not to mention the emotional toll of it all, as she also had to win matches after being 5-0 down in sets. Then came Beijing.

The home favorite did not get a first-round bye as her ranking was not high enough to merit a seeding. The tough schedule and her chasing it has finally caught up to her.

Zheng is only the latest to withdraw from the Wuhan Open, with her final opponent from Beijing, Mirra Andreeva, also deciding to pull out after the draw was made. The event had already seen some high-profile withdrawals from defending champion Coco Gauff, World No. 1 Elena Rybakina, and last year’s China Open champion, Amanda Anisimova.

As for Zheng, she was not overawed by the situation, as the home favorite was able to bring her best level when pushed to the ropes.

Qinwen Zheng Was at Her Best When Pushed During the China Open Final

The final was not without its challenges for Zheng. The home favorite recovered the break, but her biggest challenge in the match came in the tenth game.

When serving at 4-5, with Andreeva having two set points, the former World No. 4 then showed her mettle by playing aggressive tennis and turn the tides in her favor.

“I was ready to face 3 points,” said Zheng in a CCTV interview after the match. “I was not sure if I could make it back in time. So I played my best. But I played very well at that time. I took the initiative to attack and score. I didn’t expect to make it back in time. I played one by one. It was a crucial moment. Especially in an important competition.”

Under pressure, Zheng did not go behind the baseline and engage Andreeva in long defensive rallies. Rather, she went for her forehands and came to the net to win the points. She saved the first set point with a well-executed overhead smash, while the second one was saved as Andreeva sent a ball out after Zheng had hit a deep forehand. Zheng once again came to the net during the third set point and finished the rally with a classic volley.

That sequence of play was the turning point in the match, as Zheng closed out the first set by winning the next two games. She once again got a timely break in the second set and was able to close the match out, winning it with a powerful ace. She would have hoped for a similar performance in front of the city she has loved for years. But health comes first and the opportunity to win at home will soon emerge.