"I've also been feeling very sad about myself": Zheng Qinwen upset about letting fans down during comeback as US Open qualifying looms
WTAMonday, 24 August 2026 at 20:30
Zheng Qinwen opened up her US Open Qualifying campaign on Monday seeing off You Xiaodi with the former World No.4 and Olympic gold medallist having to adapt to a new normal which is not being handed opportunties.
Qinwen has age firmly on her side being only 23 and only just reaching the summit of the sport in recent years, but her comeback from elbow surgery and wrist issues previously has shown how quickly you can go from being one of the biggest names and in the case of Zheng Qinwen one of the most marketable at that to being in the position that qualifying is now a new normal.
She joins many this next week including Bianca Andreescu who won the title previously in having to come through what is a lottery. She faces off against Clara Burel next in the second round and faces multiple matches to reach the main rounds with likely a big name looming if she does make it and is a school of hard knocks that some in her position would just snub.
But it is a road to redemption for Zheng Qinwen who sat down this post week and said that she is playing without pain and that she has been searching in the midst of her success to not succumb to the pain barrier and now she won't. This in itself is good news for fans of the Chinese ace, but also shows that while she is getting there she isn't there yet.
Zheng Qinwen sad about letting fans down
“The body right now is finally all good,” she said as per Hard Court. “I play without pain. That’s what I’ve been searching for for the last two years, and thank God that finally I’m able to do that.”
“I would say right now everything is on a good path. The last two weeks, because I can feel right now my body is getting better, my mind is finally starting to get a bit better, and I’m starting to find my level little by little.”
Now though after getting through that, Zheng Qinwen added that she has lost games she shouldn't have lost and that she doesn't want to let her fans down. She said that she has been feeling very sad about the situation and not wanting to let people down.
“I think I just need to keep going at this stage and working on myself, and then trying to reach the best version of myself on court,” she said. “Because at the end of the day, we are playing tennis matches, and the best level you have is [the one you have] when you are in the match.”
Zheng Qinwen speaking earlier this year.
“After coming back from injury, I lost some matches I shouldn’t have lost, which felt really painful. I felt like, oh, the people who love me, my fans, that I let them down. That was a bad feeling for me because I don’t want to let them down. I want to win as much as I can, and I want to give them courage, but the last few months I haven't been able to do that. So I’ve also been feeling very sad about myself.”
The Chinese ace has said that she has learned more about herself as a result of being on the shelf and that she can only control what she is doing and nothing else.
“I’ve learned one thing: I only can control what I’m doing,” she said. “I cannot control how my tennis on court affects others, because I cannot carry so many expectations on my shoulders. That’s too heavy for me to play tennis with.”
“Right now, what I’ve learned is just to be simple, as simple as I can as a person, as simple as I can as a tennis player,” she said. “And the tennis will become better as a result.”
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- I want Pegula to surprise as a one-slam wonder winning in New York. She would then jump over the other three ladies for a number one ranking! I’d put my money on the two American girlies, Jessica and Coco to win in New York. Rybakina cannot seem to perform under this kind of pressure and Sabalenka appears in an anger fog ATM.DaveyWavey24-08-2026
- Well said, Andy. I got sick of Nick carrying on and on and on about Sinner. He absolutely refused to look at the facts. Now look at him. Karma is real!!!Rapunzel23-08-2026
- The fact that ANDY RODDICK of all people has become the voice of “reason” is interesting. He’s absolutely correct about Kyrgios too. He’s become a tennis influencer who is a total hypocrite and bully! I agree with RODDICK 100%DaveyWavey23-08-2026
- Great article! Thiem was similar to Del Potro in that both men had won Grand Slams and injured wrists each stole their careers away. Sad really.DaveyWavey22-08-2026
- I’m not quite sure what’s happening with Sabalenka but she is horrible on court when she’s losing (which is a lot lately). If you cannot control your self at all once you start losing matches - especially at 28 - you need to see a therapist or take a break from the sport. Terrible attitude. This is what represents the women’s tennis tour? Yikes!DaveyWavey20-08-2026
- Love Halep’s post! Very pointed yet simple.DaveyWavey20-08-2026
- He’s such a hypocritical douche! I remember when Sinner was out for three months on his ban and Kyrgios made such disparaging comments towards him and how awful he was. He’s such a mess of a human being.DaveyWavey19-08-2026
- Help me understand this. Nick tests positive for cocaine and gets suspended but Marketa gets banned for four years?Rapunzel19-08-2026
- Her main problem is that she needs a new coach. Her dad made her win the AO, but she needs somebody to make her stronger mentally, and improve her game.swantiez19-08-2026
- Stop the madness! Tournament directors operate in insanity everytime they give Venus a wildcard. They are using her just to rake in the money! Can she not see that!? They don't care about her! They care about the money. I cannot stand to see her play and now Serena has joined the madness. Unbelievable! They just need to retire and go enjoy their beautiful husbands and kids....smh. The madness is Unbelievable!!!Rapunzel18-08-2026
Loading