Zheng Qinwen didn’t have to think much when asked if she would rather win a Grand Slam or reach the world No. 1 title as the 22-year-old admitted that as a kid she only dreamed of lifting a Major title and nothing else.
At the start of 2024, the Chinese tennis star came only one win away from becoming a Slam winner before Aryna Sabalenka routed her 6-3 6-2 in the Australian Open final. In the rest of the year, the world No. 8 made the US Open quarterfinal while she picked up a third-round exit at the French Open and got bounced in the Wimbledon first round.
When it comes to this season’s Major year, Zheng didn’t make a promising start, surprisingly losing to Laura Siegemund in the Australian Open second round.
“Well, no doubt a Grand Slam. Because this was a dream since I was a child. I didn’t put No. 1 as a dream. I put a Slam. Sorry to say that (laughs),” the former world No. 5 said when asked in Indian Wells to pick between a Major or the No. 1 ranking.
Zheng after beating Sun at Indian Wells
“If you have to choose this year between being world #1 & winning a slam, what’s more important to you?
Qinwen: “No doubt a Slam. This is a dream since I was a child. I didn’t put #1 as a dream. I put a Slam.”
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— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) March 10, 2025
Zheng wasn’t happy at all with how she played in her maiden Major final
After easily losing to Sabalenka in last year’s final at Melbourne Park, the Chinese insisted that she wasn’t nervous before or during the match but felt that she failed to step up and convert some of her chances and openings.
“I think I could have done much better than that,” she said in her post-final presser and also vowed to learn from that and return stronger.
Since Zheng is just 22 and now widely regarded as one of the best players in the game, she is definitely someone who could possibly win a Major or even multiple in the future. But the truth is that she has mostly struggled at the Major level since her breakthrough 2024 Australian Open run.
