China’s highest-ranked singles player has been forced to pull out of this year’s Australian Open following a ‘careful evaluation.’
Zheng Qinwen, who is currently ranked 24th in the world, said it was ‘incredibly difficult’ to make this decision. There had been speculation about her participating in the first Grand Slam of 2026 after she didn’t enter to play any tournaments leading up to the event.
Zheng underwent surgery on her shoulder shortly after Wimbledon last year and has only played one Tour event since then. At the China Open, she won her opening match against Emiliana Arango but then retired during her second round clash with Linda Noskova.
“Hi everyone, after careful evaluation by my team and following medical advice, unfortunately I will be withdrawing from the 2026 Australian Open,” she wrote on social media.
“Making this decision has been incredibly difficult for me. Melbourne is my ‘lucky place’ where I won my first Grand Slam main draw match and where I had my best experience. I have a special connection to this place, and I was very eager to start my new season at Melbourne Park.”
In 2024, the 23-year-old became only the second player from her country to reach an Australian Open final after Li Na. She missed out on the title to Aryna Sabalenka, who triumphed in straight sets. Later that same year, Zheng became the first Chinese player to win a singles gold medal at the Olympic Games, which were staged at Roland Garros. She was also runner-up at the WTA Finals that same season.
“Although my recovery is progressing well and my offseason has gone smoothly, to play a Grand Slam requires players to maintain an extreme competitive condition. Currently, I have not yet reached my best condition that I have set for myself,” she continued.
“I can’t thank everyone enough for their continued support and am very much looking forward to being 100 per cent back on the court and having a strong 2026 season return.”
Zheng hasn’t announced when she will start her comeback. She has won five WTA titles so far in her career and has earned more than $9M in prize money.
