With her sight set on what could be her 5th title, Qinwen Zheng has advanced to the Wuhan Open quarterfinals following a dominating victory over Leylah Fernandez. Though it’s still a tough way to the championship, the Chinese star’s will to make it big at home resembles the ring of a prophecy. When asked about her mental state before the game, Qinwen left no doubt in the listener’s mind that she would be bringing her A game to the rest of the matches despite a restless schedule.

During the post-match press conference yesterday when asked about her mental state amid back-to-back tournaments, the 22-year-old gave a glimpse of her rocksteady determination in an atmosphere that’s physically demanding and mentally taxing. The world no. 7 said, “Because of the busy schedule, I have matches every day, I don’t have any other activities to relax. Anything relaxing, I have to wait until after the tournament because I’m in the match. I do not think I need to resolve that fatigue, I need to fight till the end.”

Qinwen Zheng is taking on the world no. 6, Italy’s Jasmine Paolini today for a place in the semi-finals. Qinwen has never clinched a trophy in her home – and a championship in Wuhan can take her to the next rung of the reverence ladder of tennis in Asia. And she has got the wind blowing in her direction already as the home crowd is gleaming at the possibility of Qinwen lifting the trophy. To show her support, her family and friends will be in attendance around the court, in addition to the fans, to cheer her on.

When asked who she invited to watch her match, the Olympic star said, “Of course. This time my aunt, my uncle, friends, relatives, my parents. Some friends were asking me for tickets. I had no idea how to get tickets for them. I referred them to my manager. Because of my busy schedule, I couldn’t really get out for dinner with them. In China, of course, more friends, more family can come on-site to cheer for me.”

Despite being in a highly competitive sport, Qinwen Zheng manages to keep her mental and physical calm. She is contesting back-to-back, yet, the gold medalist is always in high spirits ready for action.  Several things can be credited with strengthening the player’s unwavering focus, including the Olympic gold medal.

How the Olympic Medal shaped Qinwen Zheng’s training process

Winning an Olympic medal is the result of years of hard work. In an interview on the eve of the Wuhan Open premiere, Qinwen highlighted why discipline is essential in the pursuit of desired results, “When you enjoy the sport, you will give more energy, you will have more passion, which means you are going to put more power into the tennis training, on your diet, on your fitness training. I mean, it’s not easy to do that 365 days a year. It’s easy to do for a week, maybe. But if you want to reach a high level, you need to remain disciplined.”

The Olympic Gold has brought Qinwen a great deal of pretty much everything that a sportsperson strives for – from joy and limelight to reverence. Along with that, of course, came the pressure of expectations.

Underlining the same fact, the star said she appreciated all the attention and love that followed the Olympic victory. But, the medal also instilled a deeper sense of responsibility in her – though without fear of losing. Putting the pressure of expectations on the back burner, the 22-year-old remains focused on improving her game and giving her best. “It’s tough to control winning or losing. You can only do what you can in that day,” said the Chinese star.

Qinwen Zheng appears ready to go all out. What do you think of her chances at this tournament? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.