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SCMP Sport

Chinese tennis star Zheng Qinwen will start from the US Open qualifying rounds for the first time in her career as qualifiers for the final grand slam of the year begin on Monday, New York time.
Ranked No 127 in the world, Zheng remained some way off the main draw list, which cut off at No 118 Julia Grabher of Austria, per the women’s singles entry list as of last Wednesday.
With an 11-13 record this year including six first-round defeats including at the French Open and Wimbledon, Zheng is expected to sit around the middle pack of the 32 qualifying seeds. The qualifying draw will be announced at noon on Sunday in New York.
A player will need to win three matches in a row to reach the main draw, and only then will they receive the guaranteed prize money of US$140,000 for the first round, and the corresponding WTA ranking points.
Chinese social media users, however, were split on Zheng’s hopes.

“Just finish this season healthily and come back again next year,” said one commentator.
Another comment read: “I guess she won’t make it to the main draw; it’s more like she’ll be preparing for the China Open, which she will only play thanks to a wild card.”
Still, some fans stood by the Paris Olympic champion.
“What you need now is nothing but a win. The confidence gained from consecutive victories is irreplaceable. Come on!” said one Weibo user.
Upon arriving in New York, Zheng was seen practising with host player Varvara Lepchenko, as well as world No 7 and Wimbledon runner-up Karolína Muchová.
Ranked as high as No 4 in the world in June 2025, Zheng underwent a right elbow injury operation last July and was sidelined for 10 months.
Having missed last year’s US Open and this year’s Australia Open, and coupled with her rolling ranking points clearing out, Zheng’s rankings slipped to as low as No 160 in June.
Compatriot Yuan Yue, who is ranked one place above Hubei native Zheng, will also play in the qualifiers, which run until Thursday local time.
World No 36 Wang Xinyu, world No 54 Zhang Shuai and world No 108 Wang Xiyu will start in the main draw.

Separately, Hong Kong star Coleman Wong Chak-lam also missed out on the men’s singles main draw, albeit only narrowly.
Ranked No 93 in the world, and only a minor one-place drop from his career-high ranking in the first week of August, Wong was just several places below the cut-off line on the entry list, which was published last Friday.
Hongkonger Wong is expected to be among the top few seeds in the qualifying draw, with Chinese player Bu Yunchaokete also among the pack.
Wong, who turned 22 in June, famously reached the third round of the US Open last year, before losing to Andrey Rublev in five sets in the third round. Wong also reached the first round of the French Open earlier this year.


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Chinese tennis star Zheng Qinwen to start US Open from qualifiers for first time

China's Zheng Qinwen has dropped in the rankings from as high as world No 4 in June 2025. Photo: Xinhua

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China

Tennis

Paris Olympic champion likely to sit in middle of 32 qualifying hopefuls; Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong to be among top seeds in men’s qualifiers


Paris Olympic champion likely to sit in middle of 32 qualifying hopefuls; Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong to be among top seeds in men’s qualifiers.


Zheng Qinwen

Coleman Wong Chak-lam

Yuan Yue

Chinese tennis star Zheng Qinwen to start US Open from qualifiers for first time

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Paris Olympic champion likely to sit in middle of 32 qualifying hopefuls; Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong to be among top seeds in men’s qualifiers

Paris Olympic champion likely to sit in middle of 32 qualifying hopefuls; Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong to be among top seeds in men’s qualifiers