Coach Pere Riba has nothing however constructive phrases about Zheng Qinwen as a participant and particular person and has dismissed their on-court arguments as one thing unfavorable, saying it is simply that the Chinese language tennis star needs so badly to enhance and win each time she steps on the courtroom.
After working collectively for 2 and a half years of their first stint, the 2 break up in mid-2023 and that was when the 22-year-old employed Wim Fissette. Should you keep in mind properly, that collaboration ended abruptly after the US Open and with the present world No. 7 accusing Fissette of simply ditching her as a result of Naomi Osaka contacted him and provided him a job.
Whereas Zheng was livid over what occurred to her in late 2023, it additionally left the doorways for her to reunite with former Spanish tennis participant Riba. For sure, their second stint has been an enormous success because the Chinese language made her first Grand Slam, WTA 1000, WTA Finals, and Olympics finals this 12 months – she received the Paris Olympics, whereas she completed as runner-up on the Australian Open, Wuhan and the season-ending match.
It ought to be talked about that Zheng’s runs on the Olympics on the WTA Finals have been particularly spectacular, contemplating that she was making her debut in these main occasions.
However regardless of her excellent 12 months, Zheng can nonetheless be fiery at occasions, and that features arguing with the 36-year-old coach.
“She has an excellent coronary heart. When you recognize her – as a result of you must know the individuals – she’s a tremendous particular person, she has an excellent coronary heart. However in fact, when she enters the courtroom, me I’ve quite a lot of fights together with her on courtroom, as a result of she is absolutely formidable. And me, additionally I need her to succeed. She is a very good tennis participant as a result of she has this character, that is the explanation,” Riba advised The Nationwide.
“However typically, she has to regulate the feelings and he or she nonetheless is so younger. However little question that she’s a tremendous particular person. And typically this conduct occurs with all of the gamers, as a result of all of the gamers wish to win. She’s so younger, and these small issues that perhaps the individuals can see it’s nothing. As a result of lastly the particular person, the essence is very nice.”
Riba reveals his expectations for Zheng in 2025
Had the 22-year-old prevented enjoying Aryna Sabalenka within the Australian Open and Wuhan finals, perhaps she would have already got a Slam and a WTA 1000 title. Whereas the Chinese language has achieved many nice issues this 12 months, one factor she nonetheless hasn’t discovered – beating the Belarusian as she misplaced 4 occasions to the Belarusian this 12 months and has zero wins of their 5 conferences.
Coach Riba acknowledges that the competitors on the high is not simple however believes that his pupil could make a Slam breakthrough if she needs with the precise work.
“If she continues enhancing and given the way in which she is doing the issues, me I am optimistic, and naturally, it is all the time difficult these targets, however she is going to arrive with sensible choices to win a Grand Slam. It could possibly occur or can not occur, as a result of many gamers are combating for a similar factor however she is going to arrive with the tennis and with the health and with all of the issues that she will likely be succesful to do it,” the Spanish coach stated.
When Zheng arrived in Riyadh, she sat on a career-high rating of No. 7 on this planet. Following her nice WTA Finals run, she is about to interrupt into the top-5 for the primary time in her profession and be ranked fifth on Monday.
Requested if he sees the Chinese language contending for the highest spot, coach Riba remarked that he believes the 22-year-old is presently at “60 % of what she might be” and that in the end she will likely be “sooner or later there.”
How Zheng feels about Riba?
In whole, the 2 have labored for 3 and a half years. And because the Paris Olympics gold medalist sees the Spanish coach as somebody who actually needs to assist her obtain her desires and never simply revenue from working together with her, it isn’t arduous to determine that the 22-year-old is extraordinarily pleased with Riba.
“He all the time has lot of ardour on tennis. That is vital. He actually needs to be a great coach. Not so many coaches on tour have this sort of ardour. Many coaches, they simply contemplate this as a excessive prize job. However there are just a few coaches on tour, they actually love the tennis, they need their participant to turn into the most effective, they need their participant to enhance each single day. I feel he is this sort of coach,” Zheng stated of her coach in Riyadh.
