Olympic champion Zheng withdraws from Australian Open
Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen announced on Thursday that she has withdrawn from the Australian Open later this month, citing insufficient physical conditioning.
The Chinese star is a former finalist at the season’s opening Grand Slam, having lost to current world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 6-2 in the 2024 final, News.Az reports, citing AFP.
Zheng underwent elbow surgery after suffering a first-round defeat at Wimbledon in July and returned to the WTA Tour in September. However, she later pulled out in the third round of the China Open in Beijing, admitting that she had rushed her return to competition.
“After careful evaluation by my team and following medical advice, unfortunately I will be withdrawing from the 2026 Australian Open,” Zheng wrote on Instagram. “Although my recovery is progressing well and my offseason has gone smoothly, to play a Grand Slam requires players to maintain an extreme competitive condition. Currently, I have not yet reached my best condition that I have set for myself.”
The Australian Open, which begins on January 18, is the tournament where Zheng recorded her first Grand Slam victory and achieved her best result at a major, although she was eliminated in the second round last year.
The 23-year-old enjoyed a standout 2024 season, defeating Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 to win Olympic gold in Paris and reaching the final of the WTA Finals, where she lost to Coco Gauff in a deciding-set tiebreak.
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