"Wuhan is where my tennis dream began, and I regret not being able to take the trophy away this time, but in the future I hope to realize my dream of winning the trophy here!"
There are regrets, unwillingness, and more firm beliefs and infinite expectations for the future.
On October 13, Zheng Qinwen, who had just turned 22, won the runner-up at the Wuhan Tennis Open, creating his best result in the WTA1000 event.
Facing Sabalenka, a strong opponent who had lost all three of her previous matches, Zheng Qinwen showed tenacity in this match, and she won applause and respect with her tenacious fighting attitude and unyielding style of play.
In the unfavorable situation of losing the first set and being broken first in the second set, Zheng Qinwen did not give up. She ran relentlessly and patiently to chase it down to break back and win the second set, her first in four meetings with Sabalenka.
In the crucial deciding set, when the service game was broken twice and fell behind 0-3, Zheng Qinwen still fought for every ball.
She continued to mobilize Sabalenka on game point in the fourth game, and after a long round of 16 beats, Zheng Qinwen finally won the point with a forehand straight winner, and she raised her hands in the air to cheer.
This spectacular score is not only the best shot of the whole game, but can even compete for the best shot on the WTA Tour this season.
Don't give up, don't admit defeat, devote yourself wholeheartedly, and go all out, this point is also the epitome of Zheng Qinwen in this game.
From winning a maximum of five games in the first three meetings to forcing Sabalenka into the deciding set, Zheng Qinwen showed all-round improvement in this final.
"I thought too much about the last time we played and didn't really play my form. In this final, I have to play my own style first, and I also need to maintain a balance of mentality. When looking ahead to the game before the game, Zheng Qinwen focused on the adjustment of mentality.
Winning gold in the Olympics has fully tempered Zheng Qinwen's psychology. Believing in herself and believing in the team, she can face the game more relaxed, and she can also deal with difficulties more calmly.
After the match, Zheng Qinwen felt that the defeat actually gave her more confidence, "I have done better every time than the last time, and I know that I still have a lot of room for improvement. Hopefully, the next time we meet, I'll not just get close, I'll go above and beyond. ”
After losing to Sabalenka in the quarterfinals of the US Open this year, Zheng Qinwen admitted that if you want to become the best player, you must climb over the "mountains" of the current top players, and Sabalenka is one of them.
Zheng Qinwen's drive and resilience in the Wuhan Open final convinced fans that she would eventually climb these mountains.
Zheng Qinwen's tennis career has been constantly climbing mountains and mountains.
From Shiyan in Hubei Province to Wuhan to learn football, then to Beijing, and then to Spain, Zheng Qinwen has continued to grow and mature with the support and companionship of his family.
When she first entered the professional arena, she also had self-doubts, "I always felt that I was progressing too slowly. ”
As she gradually adapted to the adult arena, Zheng Qinwen's ascent was like a rocket.
At the end of 2019, she was ranked 649th in the world, 324th at the end of 2020, 143rd at the end of 2021, and 25th at the end of 2022.
In 2023, she won the Tour twice, moving up to 15th place in the year-end rankings.
In 2024, Zheng Qinwen reached his first Grand Slam final at the Australian Open and finished runner-up, reaching a career-high ranking of seventh.
Although Zheng Qinwen ridiculed himself at the martial arts network, "I was seventh at the beginning of the year, and I was still seventh after a year of struggle", but the journey of winning gold in the Paris Olympics made Zheng Qinwen usher in a comprehensive transformation.
In the semifinals of the Olympic women's singles, facing Swiatek, who had lost all six matches before, Zheng Qinwen came from behind 0-4 in the second set and won the opponent in two sets. "This victory made me believe that I have what it takes to beat anyone, and it gives me unparalleled confidence."
With such confidence, Zheng Qinwen, who returned to the tour, has a new look. She reached the quarterfinals of the women's singles at the US Open and experienced many reversals on her way to the finals.
After entering the Chinese season, in the face of the pressure of playing at home, she has achieved great results in the China Open and the Wuhan Open.
"In fact, my physical condition is not the best, and I have a cold and fever in both the China and Wuhan nets."
Even though she broke through all the way, Zheng Qinwen still felt sorry that she couldn't play 100% of her strength, but she has learned to accept her imperfect self and how to win the game when she is not in good shape.
"When you're behind, just play point by point, don't think too much." Zheng Qinwen responded with a smile to the title of "Queen of Reversal".
The mentality has been upgraded, but Zheng Qinwen's belief that he will never admit defeat and fight for every ball has never wavered.
In the semi-finals of the Chinese Open, facing former French Open runner-up and Czech star Mukhova, Zheng Qinwen fell down due to saving the ball in the sixth game of the first set, injured his hand, and finally stopped in the semifinals.
Although she lost unfortunately, she threw her eyes on the incoming ball and swung her racket to save the ball when she fell, showing a strong concentration of the game and a strong desire to win.
Finger abrasions and body pain made Zheng Qinwen cry on the field, but she took painkillers, appeared on the court again, and insisted on finishing the game.
With both physical and mental exhaustion, Zheng Qinwen rushed from Beijing to Wuhan, hoping to show a better self in front of her hometown parents.
"I feel the support and attention that people have for me, and I like the atmosphere, but I prefer to stay focused and calm."
Focus on the game and face the ups and downs calmly. Zheng Qinwen turned the pressure of fighting in his hometown into motivation, "Of course I feel the pressure in the martial arts net, but this pressure is completely under my control. ”
Bearing everyone's expectations, Zheng Qinwen went all the way to the finals.
Facing the former "Alpine" Sabalenka in the final, although Zheng Qinwen failed to successfully cross it, he has brought enough pressure to his opponent.
Sabalenka admitted after the game that she also felt Zheng Qinwen's all-round improvement, "She plays with more consistency and stability, and also has more attacking power." There has been a noticeable improvement in her backhand, pace and serve. I'm happy that I was able to win the game after she improved. ”
Zheng Qinwen also talked about his gains when summarizing the final, and more reflected, "I saw my technical and tactical shortcomings, such as my first-serve success rate in the third set was not good enough. I'm looking forward to addressing these issues in future training. That's what excites me, and I'm looking forward to playing against her next time I'm a better version of myself. ”
After the Paris Olympics, Zheng Qinwen said that she would not stop there, and would continue to remind herself to show a more stable competitive performance. "I still need to climb the next peak, I'm close to the top, but I know that the last few steps to the top are always the hardest."
The Olympic gold medal is behind her, and she is eager to continue arming herself and taking on the next challenge with more equipment, "Of course, the most important thing is the process of climbing, not the result of reaching the top." ”
Taking every training session seriously and carefully summarizing every game, the 22-year-old Zheng Qinwen looks forward to a more beautiful scenery from the top of the mountain.
Source: People's Daily Sports WeChat official account