World No. 6 Zheng Qinwen has announced a brief break from tennis after recently undergoing elbow surgery. The 22-year-old, who claimed a gold medal at the Paris Olympics last year, revealed that she had been experiencing pain in her right elbow during practices and matches. After consulting specialists, she opted for arthroscopic surgery.
Zheng, who finished as the runners-up in the Australian Open 2024, stated that she will now fully focus on her rehabilitation, aiming to return stronger and better than ever.
“I want to share a quick update with you all. Over the past months, I’ve been dealing with persistent pain in my right elbow during training and matches. Despite trying various treatments to manage it, the discomfort never fully went away.
“After consulting with elbow specialists and discussing thoroughly with my team, we decided that arthroscopic surgery was the best option to fully resolve the issue. Yesterday, I underwent the procedure successfully, and I’m grateful to have it behind me,” Zheng wrote in a post on Instagram.
“Now begins the recovery journey. Over the next few weeks and months, I’ll be focusing entirely on rehab—doing everything I can to come back stronger and healthier.
“This is just a short break, and I see it as a necessary step toward a better version of myself on court. Thank you all for your continued support and encouragement. I can’t wait to be back—see you soon!” Zheng added.
Zheng last competed at Wimbledon, where she was eliminated in the opening round of the women’s singles. She fell to the Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakov—current World No. 1 in doubles—in a hard-fought match, 7-5, 4-6, 6-1.
Now focused fully on her recovery, Zheng aims to return to full fitness ahead of the upcoming US Open, scheduled from August 24 to September 7. She has promised to come back stronger and as an improved version of herself.
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