"She's a woman on a mission": Zheng Qinwen will be buoyed for further 2024 success by Wim Fissette departure believes Martina Navratilova

Former world number one Martina Navratilova is hoping for big things from China’s Zheng Qinwen in 2024.

The 21-year-old is one of the most highly-rated young players currently playing in the circuit in the women’s single category. Her impressive performances in the last 12 months helped her reach to the 15th spot in the WTA Ranking.

Navratilova, who is often regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of women’s singles tennis in the Open era, having won as many as 18 Grand Slam titles, is hoping for big things from Qinwen next year.

“She is a big, big talent,” she said. “And I think she’ll be more than motivated by the surprising departure of Fissette, who’s going back to coaching Naomi Osaka. Yeah, she’s a woman on a mission and she’s certainly the athlete to get it done. Depending on what her next coach does, how much she buys into it, she’s a player to be reckoned with in the future.”

Qinwen won her first two titles in 2023. She won the WTA 250 event in Palermo after defeating Jasmine Paolini in the final with a score of 6-4,1-6, 6-1. Last month in Zhengzhou, she defeated Czech Republic’s Barbora Krejcikova in the final with a score of 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 to lift another title.