Olympic champion Zheng pauses WTA Tour after elbow surgery
FILE PHOTO: Paris 2024 Olympics - Tennis - Women's Singles Quarterfinals - Roland-Garros Stadium, Paris, France - July 31, 2024. Qinwen Zheng of China in action during her match against Angelique Kerber of Germany. REUTERS/Claudia Greco/File Photo
Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen said on Saturday she would take a short break from the WTA Tour after undergoing elbow surgery.
The 22-year-old Chinese player was eliminated from this year's Wimbledon tournament in the first round by Czech Katerina Siniakova earlier in July.
"Now begins the recovery journey," she wrote on Instagram. "Over the next few weeks and months, I'll be focusing entirely on rehab — doing everything I can to come back stronger and healthier."
She powered her way to gold in Paris last year and reached the 2024 Australian Open final.
Zheng added she had arthroscopic surgery on her right elbow on Friday.
"This is just a short break, and I see it as a necessary step toward a better version of myself on the court," she said.
