‘I Wish I Can Be a Man on Court’ – 19-Year-Old Chinese Tennis Player Opens Up About Menstrual Cramps After Her Loss to Iga Swiatek at French Open 2022

Zheng Qinwen, the Chinese rising star, made her WTA debut in 2021 Palermo after winning the Tennis Future Hamburg, and the Macha Lake Open. At Palermo, she won her first match against the Russian tennis professional and former World No.25 Liudmila Samsonova. Further, in January 2022, she entered into WTA’s top 100.

Currently, she has risen to World No.74 and was involved in the French Open 2022. During the tournament, she seemed strong, as she defeated high-caliber players like the two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep. However, an unfortunate issue in the round of 16 derailed her impressive campaign at Roland Garros.

Zheng Qinwen speaks about the effects of menstrual cramps on her game

Qinwen suffered with menstrual cramps during her match with the World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, which heavily contributed to her defeat. While addressing the press post her loss, the 19-year-old said, “It’s just girls’ things, you know. The first day is always so tough and then I have to do sport and I always have so much pain in the first day. And I couldn’t go against my nature.”

“I wish I can be a man on court, but I cannot in that moment. If I don’t have my stomach (pain) I think I could enjoy more, like to run better and to hit harder, to give more effort on court. It’s a pity that I couldn’t give what I want to give today.”

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Qinwen looked on track as she claimed the first set in a tie breaker by 7-6 (5). However, just after that, the cramps came into play and made her take a medical time out in the second set. Thereafter, she returned to the court with straps on her right thigh. Subsequently, she lost the last two sets, 6-0 6-2.

Li Na’s significance in Qinwen’s life

Li Na, the veteran Chinese player who won two Grand slam trophies, the 2011 French Open and the 2014 Australian Open, has been an inspiration for Qinwen throughout her nascent career. Speaking about the impact of Li Na, the 19-year-old said, “She’s my idol and I always think about that.”

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“In that moment I was still a child and then she gave me a dream that, oh, the Asia player, the Chinese player, also can win the Grand Slam,” she added. However, in contrast, the Chinese jokingly denied to drawing inspiration from the recent successes of part Asian players like Naomi Osaka and Emma Raducanu.