Zheng Qinwen is set to make her long-awaited return to the WTA Tour at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open, marking her first competitive appearance of the 2026 season after an extended absence due to injury.
The former world No. 4 has spent several months recovering from a persistent elbow problem that sidelined her for much of 2025 and forced her to miss several major tournaments. Now cleared to compete, Zheng said she is eager to return to the intensity of professional tennis.
“I feel great to be back on the tour,” she told news sites. “I especially missed the tournaments and the competition. I missed the way you have to put your blood into a match.”
Zheng’s injury troubles disrupted her momentum following a strong run of results in 2024 and early 2025. She withdrew from the US Open and was unable to compete at the 2026 Australian Open, a tournament where she had reached the final in 2023. Her last match came at the China Open in Beijing, where she retired in the third round against Linda Noskova.
Source: China Daily
Although her rehabilitation progressed well during the offseason, Zheng previously acknowledged that she had not immediately reached peak match fitness.
“To play a Grand Slam, players need to be in extreme competitive condition,” she said. “I had not yet reached the level I set for myself.”
Before her injury, Zheng had shown strong form, particularly on clay. She reached the semifinals at the Italian Open, including a win over then world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, and advanced to the quarterfinals at Roland Garros.
She said the recovery process was longer than expected but believes she is now in better physical shape.
“It took much longer than I thought, including surgery,” Zheng said. “But I’m back and feeling better. I hope I can do well here and give my best on court.”
Zheng faces an immediate challenge in Doha. Unseeded for the tournament, she has been placed in the section led by second seed Elena Rybakina and will open her campaign against former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.
The demanding draw offers an early test of her readiness, but Zheng sees the tournament as an important step in rebuilding her ranking and confidence as she works toward a full return to the top level of women’s tennis.
