Zheng Qinwen won Olympic gold and finished runner-up at the 2024 Australian Open and WTA Finals. (Reuters: Florence Lo)
In short:
Zheng Qinwen said she needed more time to rest after a long 2024 season and will miss the Fed Cup which starts later this month.
Zheng Jie won gold at the Paris Olympics, capping a career year for China’s No. 5 player, while also reaching the Australian Open final.
What’s next?
The Fed Cup will be held from December 27 to January 6, and the Australian Open will start on January 12.
Australian Open runner-up Zheng Qinwen will not compete in the Fed Cup, which she believes will best prepare her for her first Grand Slam tournament in 2025.
World No. 5 Zheng Saisai lost to Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 6-2 in the 2024 Australian Open final but went on to win gold at the Paris Olympics and finished runner-up at the season-ending WTA Finals.
The 22-year-old was due to represent China at the Fed Cup on December 27, but announced on Instagram that she would withdraw from the tournament.
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Zheng Zhi wrote: “2024 is a long season for me and I need a few extra weeks of rest, recovery and good training to get ready for the new season.
“I had a fantastic time at the Confederations Cup in January and will miss this tournament dearly.
“However, I’m very excited to be back in Australia soon and I’ll see you guys in Melbourne in a few weeks.”
China will begin its Confederations Cup campaign against Brazil in Perth on Friday, with world number 175 Gao Xinyu becoming China’s top-ranked women’s player after Zheng Saisai withdrew.
Zhang Zhizhen, ranked 45th in the world, is China’s top-ranked male player in the tournament.
The Australian Open begins on January 12.
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