Zheng Qinwen’s love affair with Melbourne has been put on hold. The former Australian Open finalist will not feature at the 2026 season opener after deciding her right elbow still isn’t ready for the brutal demands of a Grand Slam.
It is a sobering moment for a player who had been pushing firmly into the sport’s elite, and one that underlines how abruptly momentum can stall at the very top of women’s tennis.
From Breakthrough to Setback
Zheng’s rise over the past two seasons has been unmistakable. In 2024, she climbed to a career-high world No. 4, driven by a breakout run to the Australian Open final, where she was stopped by Aryna Sabalenka, and capped by Olympic gold at Roland Garros.
The second half of that year only reinforced the sense of a star consolidating her place. A US Open quarterfinal was followed by a semifinal in Beijing and a final in Wuhan, again losing out to Sabalenka, before she closed the season with a runner-up finish on her WTA Finals debut, edged by Coco Gauff.
Surgery, Hope, and a False Start
Early 2025 offered more encouragement. Zheng reached the French Open quarterfinals and went deep at several WTA 1000 events, her consistency against top opposition holding firm. Then Wimbledon intervened. A first-round exit was quickly followed by surgery on her right elbow, an issue that had been simmering and increasingly painful.
The operation ruled her out of the US Open, but Zheng targeted the Asian swing for a return. That comeback, in Beijing, proved fleeting. She won her opening match but was forced to retire against Linda Noskova in round two, a clear sign the timing was wrong.
Since then, she has stayed off court, aiming to be fully fit for the start of 2026. Even that, it has turned out, was a bridge too far.
“Melbourne Is My Lucky Place”
Zheng confirmed her Australian Open withdrawal on Instagram, admitting how difficult the call had been.
“After careful evaluation by my team and following medical advice, I’ve unfortunately decided to withdraw from the Australian Open 2026,” Qinwen Zheng.
Melbourne, she said, remains special.
“It’s my ‘lucky place’ — where I won my first Grand Slam main-draw match and where I had my best experience. I was really looking forward to starting my new season at Melbourne Park.”
Crucially, there has been no setback. Her recovery is progressing, but not yet at the level she demands of herself. “Playing a Grand Slam requires players to be in extremely competitive condition. Right now, I haven’t reached the peak state I set for myself.”
Source: Qinwen Zheng on Instagram.
Looking Beyond January
The Australian Open runs from January 18 to February 1, and Zheng will be watching rather than competing. It is a frustration, but also a calculated pause. With no relapse and time still on her side, the focus now shifts to returning later in the season with confidence in her elbow and trust in her body.
For Zheng, the aim is no longer just to be back — it is to come back ready to resume a career that, until injury intervened, was moving decisively toward the very biggest prizes.
Related WTA Articles You Might Enjoy
Fan Favorite Again: Why Zheng Qinwen’s Toughest Season Still Belonged to the People
Zheng’s 2025: The Year Her Game Looked Top-5 and Her Body Didn’t