Zheng Qinwen sparks controversy again with icy post-match handshake after Mirra Andreeva win

Zheng Qinwen is back in the spotlight after defeating Mirra Andreeva, while receiving criticism for her attitude. The Paris 2024 gold medalist overcame the Russian teenager 5-7, 6-0, 6-4 to reach the semifinals of the WTA 1000 China Open.

Several players do not seem to be big fans of the World No. 7. During the Olympic Games, Zheng had a tense exchange with Emma Navarro, where the American said: “I just told her I didn’t respect her as a competitor. I think she goes about things in a pretty cut-throat way,” remarked the 22-year-old player. “It makes for a locker room that doesn’t have a lot of camaraderie, so it’s tough to face an opponent like that, who I really don’t respect.”

Donna Vekic, who lost to Zheng in the Olympic final, also commented: "She kept delaying the service. As soon as someone's voice was heard or someone moved in the audience, she took incorrect time-outs. We can't expect spectators to sit like statues. There are also many controversial stories about her, but I won't talk about that now."

This time, against Andreeva, the Chinese player faced criticism for the cold handshake after the match. This came especially after Andreeva cried during the first game of the third set, following a poor performance in the second set. Although the 17-year-old fought hard in the third, she couldn’t turn the match around against an inspired Zheng.

After the match, Zheng was asked about her opponent’s tears, but she mentioned that she hadn’t noticed: "I don't know. I wasn't paying attention to my opponent because I mostly focus on myself. I feel I played so badly today, like 20% to 30% of my level. I think if I could have played better, the match would have finished faster."

She added: "Actually, I cry thousands of times, like when I had a chance at 5-4 and didn’t take the game. I started the third set slow, yeah. But maybe she had some pain in her body. I’m not sure. Or maybe she was just tired. I remember when I was tired at the French Open; I cried too, but usually after the match, not during it."