The world of tennis was taken aback when Zheng Qinwen, the seventh seed, was unexpectedly defeated in her inaugural match in Dubai. The aftermath of the match revealed a hitherto unseen side of Zheng’s struggles. The 22-year-old Chinese starlet didn’t attend her post-match press conference due to illness but communicated her position through a succinct statement released via the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).
After being handed a bye in the first round, Zheng was shockingly ousted from the WTA 1000 tournament in the second round. The antagonist in this plot was Peyton Stearns, who triumphed over Zheng with a 3-6 6-4 6-4 scoreline. This defeat added to Zheng’s disheartening series of early 2025 losses, marking her third consecutive defeat.
However, Zheng’s performance dipped after winning the first set of her match, prompting questions about her physical well-being. The Paris Olympics 2024 gold medalist explained that she encountered an unusual problem – cramps in her fingers. The cramps were so severe that they caused two of her fingers to “stick together,” significantly hampering her serving ability.
But the issues didn’t stop there. Zheng, who was also the runner-up in the Australian Open 2024, began to experience cramps in her calves. The entire ordeal was unfamiliar and unsettling for Zheng. She shared, “First of all, I started to cramp with my fingers. My two fingers stuck together, which is terrible before serving. Then after I started to get cramp both calves, which I never have before. It was a bit strange.”
The hot weather, combined with a long day of waiting, added to the strain on Zheng’s physical condition. Despite her discomfort, Zheng’s only victory so far in 2025 came against Anca Todoni in the first round of the Australian Open. This win was a brief moment of glory in an otherwise challenging start to her 2025 season.
Zheng, once ranked fifth globally, is expected to regroup and reassess her strategies before her upcoming matches in Indian Wells and Miami. After a remarkable previous season, Zheng delayed the start of her 2025 campaign to rest and recuperate. The tennis world will keenly watch if this setback in Dubai will be a catalyst for her to regain her form and ascend the ranks once again.