“I wanted too much” – Qinwen Zheng on learning how to stay present
The Chinese No 1 has lifted her first WTA 500 title, winning the Zhengzhou Open on home soil. She explains how a shift in mindset was the key to her success in China
(AI/Reuters/Panoramic)
It was evident during the aftermath of Qinwen Zheng’s win over Barbora Krejcikova in Zhengzhou just what an important milestone had been reached by the Chinese No 1.
As rapturous applause cascaded down to the court from a chorus of adoring Chinese fans, Zheng celebrated with her team before shaking hands with every member of tournament staff who were seated courtside for the final.
It is worth remembering that Zheng is only 21 years old, and that her fledgling career has already seen remarkably steady progress.
For someone of Zheng’s ambition and drive, however, the targets were set sky-high from early on. By not instantly fulfilling some of those ambitious aims, the Chinese No 1 admits that she brought unwanted added pressure on herself.
Lofty ambitions earlier in season invited unwanted pressure on Qinwen Zheng
“I remember at the beginning of the year I said I want to make top 10 by the end of the year and I couldn’t make it,” Zheng said in her winner’s press conference.
“I was really believing at that moment that I could have everything faster.
“But I wanted too much and I was too much focused on the results so I could not keep myself more calm, focus on the process, focus on the present, I had a lot of mistakes.”
These words are testament to the level that Zheng expects of herself, and the pressure she feels when her own high standards are not met.
This perhaps goes some way to explaining why she found the recent unexpected separation from coach Wim Fissette so difficult.
It also gives an insight into what winning a first WTA 500 title on home soil means to her.
A moment she'll never forget 😊
— wta (@WTA) October 15, 2023
Qinwen Zheng | #ZhengzhouOpen pic.twitter.com/Tb2EH0nSMt
“We are in Zhengzhou, in China, finally I have a chance to play in my country,” Zheng explained.
“I’ve got a lot of pressure, you can see in the match, in the first set I was leading 2-0 in the end I lost 6 games in a row. There were a lot of up and downs but the important thing is to win the match whatever happens and right now I’m just feeling super happy and want to enjoy the time with my team.
“When I was on the court finishing the last point I was feeling super happy and all the crowd was shouting for me, they were fully supporting me, in that moment the feeling was unexplainable.
“That was such a special experience to win my first WTA 500 title in China and especially in Zhengzhou.”
Zheng starting to fulfil the early promise of her immense talent as shift in mindset proves key
Last season’s WTA newcomer of the year, Zheng has justified that mantle with several important milestone achievements in 2023. First, she picked up her maiden WTA title on the clay courts of Palermo this summer, before a breakthrough run to the quarter-finals of the US Open last month. Now, a first WTA 500 title in her home country caps off what feels like a pivotal few months for the now-world No 19 as she makes her debut in the top 20.
By triumphing in Zhengzhou, Zheng also becomes only the third Chinese woman to win a title at WTA 500-level or higher, joining two-time Grand Slam champion Li Na and Zheng Saisai.
It is little wonder that the excitement surrounding her prodigious talent has reached fever pitch in China in recent years.
Zheng explains how crucial it was psychologically to remove the pressures of ambitious targets and stay grounded in the present in order for her to get over the line in the Zhengzhou Open final.
“I said to myself… I know you really want to win but let’s just focus on the present, don’t think about the result, just play point by point try to fight, try to make the ball alive to try to find the way to win the rally, don’t be too rushed and that’s what I said to myself, just be in the present, don’t think about the result.”
Clearly, this shift in mindset worked for Zheng.
As the dust now settles on a season that can very much be counted as one of substantial progress, the key for Zheng will be maintaining this mindset on a season-long, everyday basis.
“I was too much focused on the results… I had a lot of mistakes like that so after these mistakes I now try to be more slow and think more, why it’s like that and take my time.
“And here we are, I just won the championship.”
Zheng’s talent was never in doubt. But the ability to reach your highest level on the biggest stages in the most pressurised moments is always the greatest challenge for any promising young player to overcome.
By cracking the code to unlocking her best tennis when it matters most, Zheng has signalled to the rest of the WTA field that they have a formidable new player on their hands.
If 2023 was about breaking new ground for Zheng, then 2024 will be all about crashing the party at the very top of the sport.
