Zheng Qinwen Shows Renewed Focus

Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen advanced to the semifinals of the Toray PPO Tennis tournament, demonstrating resilience in a hard-fought three-set victory. In her post-match press conference, the Chinese star opened up about maintaining motivation late in the season and her upcoming matchup with Diana Schneider. 

Reflecting on her performance, Zheng acknowledged a mid-match lapse in concentration that cost her the second set despite holding a 40-15 lead. However, she successfully regrouped in the decisive third set by increasing her intensity and improving her first-serve percentage.

"I raise up a bit my intensity and put a bit more focus trying to have less errors and trying to put more first serve percentage," Zheng explained. "The result shows positive."

The Olympic champion candidly discussed the challenges of maintaining motivation after an emotionally demanding Chinese swing, where she faced significant pressure and expectations from home crowds. Learning from past experiences, particularly after the Australian Open where she admittedly lost focus, Zheng and her team have prioritized maintaining competitive drive throughout the season.

"My team is trying to explain how important it is to keep the motivation up," she said. "If you are there on court, give 100 percent if you're ready to step on court." Looking ahead to her semifinal match against Diana Schneider, Zheng expressed respect for her opponent's achievements, recalling watching Schneider's Grand Slam final appearance when Zheng herself was ranked outside the top 100. "I remember that match because I was in China watching the final... I was not even top 100 yet. I remember my ranking was 120. I was like, I really wish that I could be there too."

When asked about how her Olympic gold medal has impacted her life, Zheng revealed that the true magnitude of her achievement only became apparent upon returning to China. "I couldn't walk on the street because all the people start to recognize me," she said. However, she maintains that internally she remains unchanged, emphasizing that her ambitions extend beyond Olympic success: "I'm still trying to reach my dream because my dream it's not done yet. I still wants to reach far away target."

The semifinal match between Zheng and Schneider promises to be an intriguing battle between two of tennis's rising stars, with both players looking to add another significant achievement to their growing resumes.