'Queen Wen' reigns off court: Zheng Qinwen named WTA Fan Favorite for second consecutive year

For the second consecutive year, China's Zheng Qinwen has taken home the WTA Fan Favorite award. The world No. 24 endured an injury-riddled season, undergoing surgery and spending months out of competition, but that did not stop her from once again being crowned the public's choice.

The Paris 2024 gold medalist saw her fame skyrocket following her breakthrough at the top level just a couple of years ago. In 2022—her first full year on the professional tour—she reached the top 25 and was named WTA Newcomer of the Year. By late 2023, she had established herself as a top-15 player and secured the Most Improved Player of the Year award.

Zheng's peak performance came in 2024. She began that year by reaching her first Grand Slam final at the Australian Open, where she finished as runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka. It was a remarkable year highlighted by the Olympic gold medal in Paris, alongside tour titles, a WTA 1000 final, and a run to the championship match of the WTA Finals. She reached a career-high ranking of world No. 4, positioning herself as a major contender entering 2025, and capped that season by winning her first Fan Favorite award.

Unfortunately for Zheng, 2025 did not go according to plan on the court. She suffered from injuries and irregular results from the start of the season, waiting until March to secure consecutive victories for the first time, with quarterfinal runs at Indian Wells and the Miami Open.

It wasn't until the clay season that her form truly returned; semifinals at the Rome Open and quarterfinals at Roland Garros seemed to get her season back on track, followed by a semifinal appearance at the HSBC Championships. However, persistent elbow issues plagued her throughout most of the year, causing the Chinese star constant pain.

The Olympic gold medalist was eliminated in the first round of Wimbledon by Katerina Siniakova, capping off a grass swing with poor results. Just days later, she surprised the tennis world by announcing she had undergone surgery immediately after her participation at SW19, ruling her out for several months—including the entire North American swing and the US Open, where she was defending quarterfinal points.

“After consulting with elbow specialists and discussing thoroughly with my team, we decided that arthroscopic surgery was the best option to fully resolve the issue. Yesterday, I underwent the procedure successfully, and I’m grateful to have it behind me,” she posted back in July. “This is just a short break, and I see it as a necessary step toward a better version of myself on court. Thank you all for your continued support and encouragement. I can’t wait to be back—see you soon!”

Zheng managed to return to the courts before the year ended, generating high expectations for the Asian swing where she had significant points to defend on home soil. She traveled to Beijing for the China Open and defeated Emiliana Arango in straight sets in the first round.

However, she suffered physical discomfort during her second-round match against Linda Noskova, forcing her to retire mid-match during the third set. This proved to be Zheng's final appearance on the Tour for the season, as she withdrew from the remaining Asian tournaments and dropped several positions in the rankings toward the end of the year.

Zheng finished the season as world No. 24, with a 20-12 record at the WTA level and on-court earnings close to $1.5 million. The 23-year-old will begin her 2026 campaign at the Australian Open—becoming the only top-40 player opting not to play any warm-up tournaments prior to the year's first Grand Slam—where she will seek to rediscover her rhythm for the season ahead.

For now, she ends a difficult year with positive news, recognized by the fans who have made "Queen Wen" one of the most acclaimed and followed players on the Tour.