Zheng Qinwen has once again addressed the topic of friendships on the WTA Tour, and this time, she appears more open to forming closer bonds with some of her colleagues. The current world No. 9 quickly became a fan favourite after a brilliant 2024 season, yet she has struggled to fully fit into the WTA locker room following some conflicts with fellow players.
The 22-year-old reached her first Grand Slam final at the 2024 Australian Open and went on to have a year to remember: she claimed titles at the Tokyo Open and Palermo Open, while also reaching the finals of the WTA Finals and the WTA 1000 Wuhan Open.
Her biggest achievement of the season? Winning the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she defeated Iga Swiatek on the Roland Garros courts and overcame Donna Vekic in a commanding final performance.
“I haven’t take that step yet”
Zheng faced a tough opening-round match against Victoria Azarenka at Indian Wells. The Chinese player had lost three consecutive tournament openers but finally snapped her losing streak with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over the former world No. 1.
The 22-year-old showed visible frustration during the match after being interrupted by a fan’s shouts during her serve. Azarenka was also angered by a questionable technology call in the second set, and the match ended with a notably cold handshake at the net.
In her press conference, Zheng was asked whether she still preferred to keep her distance from fellow players, but she surprisingly showed a slight change in perspective: "Actually, there are two people in the tennis community whom I really want to befriend. But I haven’t taken that step yet. I’ll talk about it once I do."
Zheng now prepares to face New Zealand’s Lulu Sun in the round of 32 on Monday. Interestingly, Sun upset Zheng in the first round of Wimbledon last year, when the Chinese star was the 8th seed. Just weeks later, Zheng rebounded by winning the Olympic gold medal in Paris.
Some disputes about Zheng
Controversy has followed Zheng along the way. During her Olympic run, Emma Navarro accused her of lacking sportsmanship and respect for her rivals. At the China Open, she also had a heated exchange with Leylah Fernandez’s father, which angered the Canadian player. Other high-profile clashes have involved Mirra Andreeva, Aryna Sabalenka, and most recently, Victoria Azarenka during her opening match at Indian Wells.
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Zheng has previously stated that making friends on tour was not a priority, but she now admits there are a couple of players she could see herself befriending—despite barely speaking to them so far.
"I am a girl with a very sensitive heart. I don't feel like I could be friends with someone and then have to compete against them; I wouldn’t be able to focus 100% on the match,” she said at the 2024 WTA Finals. “There are plenty of people outside the WTA, so why should I make friends here? I come here to compete with them, to win the match. That’s my opinion.”
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