Zheng Qinwen’s return from injury in Doha could hardly have gone better.
She may not have pushed far into Doha, but she has every reason to feel proud of how her comeback unfolded.
Two months after arthroscopic surgery on her right elbow, the Chinese star started competing again in Beijing, only to withdraw from her second match when she realized her elbow wasn’t close to fully ready for top-level tennis.
This week marked Zheng’s first event since September and only her second since Wimbledon. And this time, the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist captured wins in her opening two Doha matches, testing Elena Rybakina—the defending Australian Open champion—before losing a tight 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 round-of-16 battle.
In her first match against Sofia Kenin, Zheng posted an exceptional stat line, booming 20 aces and hitting 43 winners. She then defeated Alycia Parks and came very close to ending Rybakina’s winning streak.
What stood out most, though, wasn’t the power or rally quality but the health of her elbow. Fending off questions about pain, Zheng emphasized that the most encouraging takeaway is simply that her elbow held up during competition, a crucial sign for her future plans.
Why is her right elbow the biggest indicator of progress?
When Zheng arrived in Doha to start her 2026 season, she revealed that her fears were so intense at one point that she found herself praying for relief.
Back at the China Open, she hadn’t yet regained full elbow extension or flexion, and she feared the worst—that she might never bend her right arm as easily as her left. She candidly shared that she wasn’t praying for wins, just for a normal elbow.
Looking ahead, Zheng will play in Dubai next week before heading to the United States for the Sunshine Double.
