Zheng Qinwen Triumphs in Return at China Open After Surgery

BEIJING, China — Zheng Qinwen made an impressive return to the WTA Tour on Saturday, defeating Emiliana Arango of Colombia 6-3, 6-2 at the WTA China Open. This victory marks Zheng’s first win since her elbow surgery earlier this year.

The match, held in front of enthusiastic home fans in Beijing, showcased Zheng’s resilience after more than two months away from competitive play. Ranked No. 9 in the world, she faced Arango for the third time, improving her record against the Colombian to 3-0.

“Actually, the China Open wasn’t in our plan because I wasn’t at my 100% still,” Zheng said during her post-match conference. “But I’m able to compete. The recovery process is very long, and I made a tough decision to step on the court.”

Zheng opted for surgery earlier in the year to address a right elbow injury that had plagued her season. Despite not being fully recovered, she decided to participate in the tournament to test her condition and connect with her home crowd.

With this victory, Zheng extends her impressive record at WTA 1000 events in China to 9-3, making her the player with the highest win rate (75%) among Chinese players since the tournament format began in 2009. Across all WTA events in China, she now boasts 17 wins out of 21 matches (81%).

“I was frustrated missing out on the US Open. Bringing my best performance here tonight and feeling the crowd’s passion gives me extra motivation,” she remarked, highlighting her connection with the audience.

Next for Zheng is No. 26 seed Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic, a player she has bested in their previous encounters. “She is a tough player. I need to discuss with my team, and we’ll see how much I can recover,” Zheng said regarding her upcoming match.

The anticipation builds as Zheng seeks to continue her winning streak in front of her supporters.