CHINA OPEN

October 12, 2026

Zheng Qinwen

Press Conference

ZHENG QINWEN/M. Andreeva

7-5, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Qinwen, congratulations. You are the new China Open champion. Can you tell us some of the emotions that you're feeling right now and when you claimed the title.

ZHENG QINWEN: Well, honestly after winning this title, I felt like finally I achieve it, finally I once again become the one who making new history.

I always wants to kind of beat myself because everyone is asking me how great you achieve in 2024. I always say that the best is come in the future, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with English questions, please.

Q. Ever since 2024, Paris Olympics, there is a Chinese tennis fever has taken off across the country. More and more people are picking up this sport. As someone who helped fuel this, all this excitement about tennis both on and off the court, how do you feel about it?

ZHENG QINWEN: Well, I always know how much I can inspire people after winning the 2024 Olympic gold medal. After that, in 2025, I had those big flip, big surgery in my elbow, which is not easy. When I was at the lowest moment, everyone is saying, like, I couldn't come back. Everyone has doubt about me.

Also my friend, they are keep asking me what's happen during this period of time. I couldn't answer because I felt like I just forgot how to compete after coming back from injure.

Finally after through many losses, I find my fire again when I'm playing the competition match. Like I always said, tennis is not just about hitting the balls, it's also about how much you want to win.

I am just so grateful that I found the inside fire back. Right now I'm trying to reach the best version of myself.

Q. How do you compare what it felt like to win gold when you're representing China in Paris to what it feels like here? I know you're competing for yourself here, but it didn't feel that way throughout this week. How different are those emotions? What is the difference in the pride that you feel?

ZHENG QINWEN: I can tell you the nervous I have is quite similar. I felt like I wants to throw up in both ways before the matches. Just shows how much I want to win (smiling). In one way is good, but in another way also I want to win so much that I can't be relax.

Everybody asking me, they told me, I already make history to reach the finals. I don't want just stop in the final, I want to become a champion. Like this, if somebody wants to make a new history, they need to arrive at least to champion, not to finals.

It's like I'm also competing with myself before. I felt like this win today, the crowd also they are supporting me a lot, because I'm always motivated here in China Open, I want to show off my best tennis in front of them.

Q. You once said that the best version of you is still ahead. After winning the China Open title, how much closer do you feel to the ideal version of you?

ZHENG QINWEN: I can't give exactly number how close I am to the best version of myself. But it is true, I achieved something that I never achieved before when I was at my 21 years old.

I know everyone is saying, like, I never had a 1000 event champion. Okay, I was Olympic gold medalist, that's amazing, but still there's lot of things I never achieve yet. I want to achieve all of them, like these people cannot say anything to me after that.

I'm really happy I made the first steps. For me there's still more to come. I'm so hungry honestly for what's going to come in the next of my career because I know my potential, and I don't want to have a regret the day that I retire from tennis. I just wants to give everything that I have in the tennis career.

Q. Speaking specifically about how you're feeling with your elbow, last year you retired early from your match, now you've lifted the title. Specifically about your injury, your physical ability, how has this title restored some confidence?

ZHENG QINWEN: I remember so clear what's happen last year. Feels like yesterday for me. I already felt like after my first match of last year I couldn't serve anymore.

In that moment, I don't have the knowledge yet about this injury. I wasn't experienced enough. So I was holding the match on. After retire that match, you see I haven't play anything until February. That's very long.

For me, I didn't expect like I will reach the champion here in the beginning 'cause I just wants to play match by match and let's see where I can arrive.

I remember last year when Noskova beat me, she also reached the final, which means even I was injured, my level still are really high.

I just felt very lucky to achieve this year. Also it's the first time I made my birthday in Beijing. Before the tournament start, my team keep pushing me saying, Okay, let's try to make your birthday here. So I'm happy that I made it (smiling).

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Chinese.

Q. 'Congratulations' might not be enough because last year you went through a lot. A lot of people would hope life can be smooth. A lot of Chinese people say after you go through struggle, jade is made through all the struggles. After going through such a long slump, what are the biggest takeaways?

ZHENG QINWEN: To be honest, I thought the slump was one month, two months. I did not expect it to be as long as six months.

In the six months I was forced to learn a lot. Also I rediscovered myself. I knew that when I wasn't playing well, a lot of voices emerged. I learned to coexist with myself, to not be disrupted by those voices. All of those things make me stronger.

A lot of people, everybody, faces a slump. I'm living under the magnifying glass, I'm living in front of the camera. Each word, action is exposed by the camera. A slump is not necessarily a bad thing. I would not be able to directly tell you what I've learned, but I can show you through my tennis.

Q. Many young Chinese fans see you as a role model. We see a lot of children were cheering for you. What kind of things would you like to say to those young fans?

ZHENG QINWEN: To be on the path of tennis, of course you will see failures, confusion, as well as the joy of growth. Tennis is a very beautiful sport. You need to enjoy it. You need to feel it from the bottom of your heart. You need to love it. That's one way to unleash your potential.

I don't think a young child would be able to understand that. I can tell you to cherish every day. That's what I did as a kid.

Q. On court when you are facing an opponent, you are as fierce as a boxer. After a match you relax by singing. To what extent such a level of relaxation can help you release pressure? How are you able to not be disrupted by those voices?

ZHENG QINWEN: Indeed, I like singing. When I was a kid, when I lost a match, I liked to sing songs - sometimes sad songs so I can feel the feeling of failure.

Going back to the matches, I did not feel relaxed at all. Even on my birthday I was going through the routine, the training, the physio. I was going through each item in my plan. My brain never really relaxed during the tournament.

I feel that if I'm not the champion of this tournament, I'm not at the end of this journey, I cannot relax. The moment when I won the title, I feel that finally I can relax. My brain, my body can finally relax.

Q. I remember in Paris during the press conference talking about the meaning of the gold medal, you talked to your dad that even if I lose matches in the future, I'm still Olympic champion. Talking about the meaning of this title, if you are going to write a letter to yourself when you have future doubts, what would you write in this letter to encourage yourself in a future slump?

ZHENG QINWEN: I would say in the letter always be humble when you lose. There are reasons. It might not have something to do with what you're doing. It might be the past two months, three months. That's what resulted in the result today.

Be humble, keep your heads up. Don't let the crown drop. Even when you're in a slump, remember what I have done. Remember your achievements.

My dad is an extrovert. You can see that. He would pose in front of the camera. He would just lift the trophy in front of the camera. I think he really has something. He's really somebody (smiling).

Q. Seven matches in the past 11 days. You've had aggressive performances. What was the most difficult moment for you?

ZHENG QINWEN: Every match had different difficult points. It is difficult to pinpoint which moment was the most difficult.

The final tonight was also difficult. Also the previous six matches were tough. There were different moments of toughness. When I was battling my opponents, I was also battling myself. The desire of winning internally, I was battling the internal weaknesses of myself.

I need to be aggressive, but also need to control my errors. At critical moments, I cannot be soft. This is something I really need to find solution for for a long time. I'm really happy I did that.

In the US Open you remember that crossover, I wasn't able to break my opponent's serve. That's a moment I remember vividly. So I'm really remember in this tournament, I avoided that. I was able to take the opportunities.