China's Zheng Qinwen's breakthrough of the year

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China's Zheng Qinwen poses for photos with the runner-up trophy on Day 15 of the 2024 Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, January 28, 2024. /CFP

Named the 2022 WTA Tour Newcomer of the Year and the 2023 Most Improved Player, Chinese tennis star Zheng Qinwen entered 2024 with high expectations.

At only 22 years old, she reached her maiden Grand Slam final at the Australian Open, followed by a Top 10 debut after that fortnight. Even with that significant accomplishment in January, it was the second half of the year that saw her rise to new heights. After successfully defending her title in Palermo, Zheng stormed into Roland Garros for the second time that season, where the Hubei native upset then-World No. 1 and four-time French Open champion Iga Swiątek, emerging as China's first Olympic singles tennis gold medalist. Reflecting on this achievement, Zheng told Sports Scene, "When I play for my country, there's always extra strength holding me up on the court. I remember when I was playing at the Asian Games, I was down in the semi-finals, but I turned the match around. As you saw in these Olympic Games, I struggled in a lot of matches and almost lost them. In a regular match, maybe I would have lost, but somehow in these Olympics, I was able to turn it around, fight for my country, fight for myself. To get this gold medal is an unbelievable experience."

China's Zheng Qinwen kisses her gold medal after defeating Croatia's Donna Vekic during the Women's Singles tennis final at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, August 3, 2024. /CFP

During the Asian swing, Zheng found arguably her most consistent form yet, cementing her spot at the WTA Finals in Riyadh. On home soil, she reached her first WTA 1000 semifinal in Beijing and her first WTA 1000 final in Wuhan, before claiming the title in Tokyo.

"Of course, I'd like to reach as far as I can so my people can watch me more on the tennis court. But you know, I'm not feeling any pressure. I just want to keep playing with a calm mind and, at the same time, figure out what I'm capable of. I just focus on each day," Zheng said.

Winner Coco Gauff of the U.S. (L), and runner-up Zheng Qinwen of China (R) hold their trophies after their women's singles final match of the WTA Finals at the King Saud University Indoor Arena, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, November 9, 2024. /CFP

Zheng's exceptional season culminated in her first appearance at the prestigious WTA Finals, where she impressively reached the championship match. This remarkable achievement helped her finish the year with a new career-high ranking of No. 5, marking her Top 5 debut. Driven by her indomitable fighting spirit, Zheng enjoyed her best year yet, and she will undoubtedly carry this momentum into the next season.