Qinwen Zheng's coach, Pere Riba, refused to criticize the Chinese player for arguing with him, saying it was caused by her ambition.
Zheng made outstanding progress in 2022 and 2023. She was voted the best newcomer in 2022 and the most improved player in 2023, raising expectations for the 2024 season.
However, the 22-year-old probably shattered even the most optimistic predictions at the start of the year after an incredible season filled with several highs and very few lows.
Zheng's best moment was winning an Olympic gold medal at Roland-Garros. After stunning the four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek at her favorite venue, she overcame Donna Vekic in the gold medal match.
That came a few months after a shock run to the Australian Open final in January. Aryna Sabalenka proved too strong at the final hurdle, but finishing as the runner-up announced her on the world stage.
Further strong results throughout the season saw Zheng qualify for the WTA Finals. Despite losing her opening round-robin match against Aryna Sabalenka, Zheng progressed to the final by beating Elena Rybakina, Jasmine Paolini, and Barbora Krejcikova.
The Chinese No. 1 looked set to win the title when serving for the championship at 5-4 in the deciding set. However, Gauff showed her trademark resilience to fight back and win 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 to secure the WTA Finals title.
Although the quality of the final was superb from start to finish, that did not stop Zheng from having some heated conversations with Riba during the contest. The Spanish coach sometimes reacted similarly animatedly.
Speaking to The National, Riba said he did not take those moments personally, and Zheng only acts that way because she sets high standards and has high ambitions.
"She has a great heart. When you know her – because you have to know the people – she's an amazing person, she has a great heart. But of course, when she enters the court, me I have a lot of fights with her on court, because she is really ambitious."
Riba admits she sometimes needs to control her emotions better on the court, but he feels behavior like that is normal for players who are desperate to succeed and that she is actually a nice person off the court.
"But sometimes, she has to control the emotions and she still is so young. But no doubt that she's an amazing person. And sometimes this behavior happens with all the players, because all the players want to win. She’s so young, and these small things that maybe the people can see it’s nothing. Because finally the person, the essence is really nice."
Although the Spanish coach did not guarantee it would happen, he said winning a Grand Slam in 2025 was not an unrealistic hope for Zheng, even though many of her opponents are fighting for the same prize.
"If she continues improving and given the way she is doing the things, me I'm optimistic, and of course, it's always complicated these goals, but she will arrive with realistic options to win a Grand Slam."
"It can happen or cannot happen, because many players are fighting for the same thing but she will arrive with the tennis and with the fitness and with all the things that she will be capable to do it."
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