Tennis star Zheng Qinwen withdraws from Wuhan Open citing shoulder injury

Chinese tennis star Zheng Qinwen has withdrawn from the Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open due to a right shoulder injury, the Women's Tennis Association confirmed on Monday, missing the tournament in her hometown for the second consecutive year.

The withdrawal comes a day after Zheng claimed her first China Open singles title, defeating fourth-seeded Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 in Sunday's final in Beijing.

The 24-year-old became the first Chinese player to win the China Open women's singles title. The victory also marked her first WTA 1000 crown and her sixth career singles title on the WTA Tour.

Zheng climbed 31 places to No 23 in the latest WTA rankings released on Monday, regaining her position as China's top-ranked women's singles player.

The final tested Zheng's composure. After trailing 4-5 in the opening set, she saved three set points before winning the final three games to take the set 7-5. She then secured a late break in the second set and closed out the 7-5, 6-4 victory.

“The feeling was incredible to win here in Beijing ... it's one of my dreams,” Zheng said after the final, according to Reuters.

In a statement released ahead of the Wuhan tournament, Zheng said the event held special significance for her career.

“Wuhan is where my tennis dream began, and the Wuhan Open is also where I made my breakthrough at the WTA 1000 level,” she said.

Zheng said a demanding run of tournaments following her return from injury had left her physically fatigued. Over the preceding six weeks, she had competed at the US Open, the Billie Jean King Cup, and the China Open.

“My body is feeling very fatigued after this intense run of matches,” she said.

She added that she hoped to return to the tournament next year and compete in her best possible form.

The withdrawal comes after a challenging period for Zheng, whose right elbow surgery in 2025 disrupted her season. Following her Olympic singles gold at the Paris 2024 Games, she had to work her way back through rehabilitation and competition.

Her China Open triumph marked a significant step in that comeback. She also reached the quarterfinals of the US Open earlier this year.

Zheng reached the Wuhan Open final in 2024, recording the best result by a Chinese player at the tournament. She also missed last year's edition while recovering from elbow surgery.

The 2026 Wuhan Open runs from Oct 12 to 18.