Qinwen Zheng’s 2024 season has been nothing short of remarkable, and the 22-year-old Chinese player has quickly established herself as one of the rising stars on the WTA Tour. However, the question that many are asking is whether Zheng has the potential to become the World No. 1 during her career. To help assess her future prospects, former British tennis star Laura Robson shared her thoughts on the matter, offering an insightful analysis of Zheng’s game and what lies ahead for the talented young player.
Zheng’s journey to the top of women’s tennis has been a steadily evolving one, and her 2024 season marked a significant breakthrough. Despite falling short in a thrilling WTA Finals championship match against American Coco Gauff, Zheng’s performance in Riyadh demonstrated just how much she has grown as a player. The final, which lasted a dramatic three hours, saw Zheng fight valiantly before ultimately losing 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(2) in a gripping encounter between two of the youngest players on the WTA Tour. Had Zheng claimed victory, she would have become the first player since Ash Barty in 2019 to win the WTA Finals on debut. Nevertheless, her runner-up finish at the prestigious season-ending tournament capped off a stellar year and solidified her place among the best in the game.
Robson, who has been following Zheng’s rise closely, was asked about the possibility of the Chinese star reaching the No. 1 ranking in the future. “It’s a tough challenge given who else is in that mix,” Robson said, acknowledging the fierce competition Zheng faces from established players like Iga Świątek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff, who have all shown consistent form at the top of the rankings in recent years. “But to be honest, I think it would be hard on a really fast surface, and I don’t see her having overwhelmingly great results on let’s say a grass court,” Robson added. The British tennis star’s assessment is grounded in the realities of today’s WTA Tour, where the competition for the World No. 1 spot is intense and includes a host of players who excel on various surfaces.
Despite this, Robson sees Zheng as a serious contender on the hard courts and clay courts, two surfaces that suit her playing style. “Clay and hard courts? For sure. Purely because of the technique she has,” Robson explained. Zheng has demonstrated a clear aptitude for playing on slower surfaces, with her strong baseline game and ability to generate powerful, controlled shots. Robson pointed out that Zheng’s technique, especially on clay, allows her to dictate rallies from the back of the court. “She’s grown up on a clay court and plays further back behind the baseline than a lot of other Chinese players,” Robson noted, highlighting Zheng’s unique style in comparison to many of her Chinese counterparts, who typically favor a more aggressive, attacking approach.
Zheng’s success in 2024 is a testament to her growing ability to compete with the best, particularly on hard and clay courts. She claimed three singles titles this season, including a particularly impressive gold medal victory at the Paris Olympics, which many consider the pinnacle of her career to date. Zheng’s performance in Paris marked a significant milestone, confirming that she has the mental and physical qualities necessary to compete at the highest level. Her victory in Paris was symbolic not only because of the prestige of the tournament but also because it signified her potential to dominate in major events. With three titles and a strong finish to the season, Zheng demonstrated that she is more than just a rising star—she is now a fixture among the sport’s elite.
After experiencing a setback at the US Open, where she was comprehensively beaten by Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals, Zheng bounced back with some of her best tennis of her career. She embarked on the Asian swing, competing in front of her home crowd in China, where she began to build momentum. In Beijing, she reached the semifinals before heading to Wuhan, where she made it all the way to the final, pushing Sabalenka to the limit before eventually losing in straight sets. Though she fell short in Wuhan, Zheng was undeterred and continued to grow from each match. Her most notable success came at the Tokyo Open, where she claimed the title, dropping only one set on her way to victory. This victory solidified her reputation as a serious contender on the WTA Tour.
Zheng’s consistency in the second half of the season was a clear highlight, with her dominant performances in Tokyo and at the WTA Finals cementing her place among the top players in the world. In Riyadh, although she ultimately lost to Gauff in a tense final, Zheng showcased her maturity and mental resilience, earning significant wins over top-ranked players such as Elena Rybakina, Jasmine Paolini, and Barbora Krejčíková. With her impressive performance at the WTA Finals, Zheng will rise to a career-high ranking of No. 5 in the world, reflecting her rapid progression through the ranks.
Despite her loss in the final, Zheng’s progress in 2024 suggests that her time at the top of the WTA rankings is on the horizon. Her powerful baseline game, athleticism, and ability to compete under pressure will be key factors in her pursuit of the World No. 1 ranking. The next step for Zheng will be to continue refining her game on all surfaces, particularly grass, which remains a potential weakness in her overall skill set. As Robson noted, Zheng’s success on faster surfaces like grass will be crucial if she is to challenge for the World No. 1 spot in the long term.
For now, though, Zheng is firmly focused on her continued development as a player. With the 2024 season behind her, she will undoubtedly look to build on the momentum she has gained and target even greater success in the coming years. Her victory in Paris, her consistency throughout the year, and her strong showing at the WTA Finals have all laid the foundation for what could be a highly successful career, potentially culminating in a future World No. 1 ranking.
While there is still much work to be done and many challenges to overcome, Zheng’s rise through the ranks and her consistent performances suggest that she is not only capable of reaching the top but could very well achieve it. The coming years will reveal whether she can overcome the fierce competition and break through to the top of the sport, but one thing is certain—Qinwen Zheng is a player to watch in the years ahead.