Chinese tennis star Zheng Qinwen, fresh off her historic gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics, faced an unexpected early exit at the Madrid Open on Friday. The eighth-seeded athlete fell 6-4, 6-4 to Russia's world No. 87 Anastasia Potapova in a tense 99-minute match, marking the end of Chinese representation in both singles draws at the Spanish tournament.
Zheng's powerful baseline game faltered against Potapova's consistent returns, with the Chinese player winning only 40% of first-serve points in the opening set. A brief resurgence saw her break Potapova's serve at 5-3 down in the first set, but the Russian responded immediately to claim the frame.
'This match was decided by small margins,' observed tennis analyst Li Wei. 'While Zheng showed flashes of her Olympic-winning form, her serves didn't have the same precision we saw in Paris.'
The elimination comes as other top seeds faced early challenges. Tunisian fan favorite Ons Jabeur, the 2022 champion, suffered a surprise loss to Japan's Moyuka Uchijima, while Belarusian world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka launched her title defense with confidence against Anna Blinkova.
For China's growing tennis community, Zheng's performance remains a source of national pride despite the setback. The 21-year-old's Olympic victory continues to inspire young athletes across the Chinese mainland, with her recent matches attracting record viewership on domestic sports platforms.
The Madrid Open continues through May 5, with attention now shifting to upcoming WTA tournaments in Rome and Roland Garros as players refine their clay-court strategies.
