Qinwen Zheng Hits Back at Iga Swiatek’s Strong Comments on Tennis Scheduling

Qinwen Zheng was forced to retire at the China Open, seemingly due to an elbow injury.

Qinwen Zheng Hits Back at Iga Swiatek’s Strong Comments on Tennis Scheduling

Qinwen Zheng and Iga Swiatek (via Sports Illustrated)

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Qinwen Zheng has responded to Iga Swiatek’s recent criticism of the WTA’s demanding schedule. Swiatek, currently ranked No. 2, said players are competing too often and admitted that her calendar for the next 11 months feels overwhelming. She made those comments ahead of her Beijing Open match against Camila Osorio.

Swiatek advanced in that contest after Osorio retired while trailing by a set. Following the match, she explained that she may need to be more selective about which tournaments she enters moving forward. She also voiced frustration with the WTA rules, which require top players to compete at every Grand Slam, each WTA 1000, the WTA Finals, and at least six WTA 500 events. Zheng said in her post-match press conference:

I mean, it’s part of the game. As a professional player, that’s how it is, we have to play as many tournaments because that’s what the schedule says. I think my situation is different from others. I’m coming out of surgery, and my decision to play here was made in a hurry. But it’s also the right decision for me, because I want to see where my body is right now. Well, now I know that to play a third set, the number of balls to hit is too much for me. But I don’t think the schedule is too busy for professional players, because the strongest survive, and that’s the rule I have in mind.

Zheng, who had to pull out of her own second-round match against Linda Noskova after a shoulder injury setback, took a different view. She argued that the tour is built for the strongest competitors and that handling a packed schedule is part of professional tennis. Her comments suggested that she sees the workload as a challenge rather than a problem.

While Zheng exits the tournament, Swiatek moves on to the round of 16. She will face American Emma Navarro next as she continues her push for the Beijing Open title.

Qinwen Zheng forced to retire at the China Open

Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng made her return to competition this week after being sidelined since Wimbledon. She had suffered a first-round loss in London and later underwent elbow surgery on July 18, which kept her out for nearly four months. Fans were eager to see her back in action at the China Open in Beijing.

Qinwen Zheng (via X/CGTN)
Qinwen Zheng (via X/CGTN)

Her comeback started well as she earned a win over Emiliana Arango in the opening round. However, her campaign quickly came to an end in the Round of 32 against Linda Noskova. Zheng was forced to stop mid-match, cutting her long-awaited return short.

The match score stood at 4-6, 6-3, 0-3 in Noskova’s favor when Zheng called for a medical timeout. She spoke briefly with the physio before signaling that she could not continue. The decision came less than half a minute after her consultation began.

Commentators initially wondered what the issue might be as Zheng sat down for treatment. Their concerns grew when the physio began checking her elbow, raising fears that the injury that kept her out since July had resurfaced.

Iga Swiatek on course to battle with Aryna Sabalenka for World No.1

Iga Swiatek has advanced to the fourth round of the China Open, looking strong as the top seed at the WTA 1000 event. After an impressive opening win against Yuan Yue, her third-round match ended quickly when Camila Osorio retired after the first set. The victory set up a clash with 16th seed Emma Navarro, an opponent Swiatek has beaten twice before.

Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek (Image via X/Jimmie48 Photography)

Her progress also adds intrigue to the battle for the No. 1 ranking. Aryna Sabalenka has held the top spot since October of last year, but her lead is beginning to shrink. The Belarusian withdrew from this year’s China Open, which means she will lose 215 ranking points from her 2024 quarterfinal run. That drop will take her from 11,225 points down to 11,010.

Swiatek, sitting at No. 2, entered the event with 8,433 points. Unlike many players, she had no points to defend from last year because she was provisionally suspended during the tournament. This gave her an opportunity to close the gap on Sabalenka without the risk of losing ground.

With her win over Osorio, Swiatek has already earned 120 points by reaching the fourth round. That brings her total to 8,533 points in the live rankings. While she cannot reclaim the No. 1 ranking in Beijing, her steady progress shows she is narrowing the gap and putting pressure on Sabalenka heading into the final stretch of the season.

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