Anna 
Chinese tennis star and Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen has reconsidered her stance on making friends in the sport. Previously, she stated that she preferred to keep her distance from fellow players, believing it was difficult to compete against friends. However, she now admits there are a few people she would like to befriend.
Speaking after her 6-4, 7-5 victory over Lulu Sun in the round of 32 at the Indian Wells Open on Monday, Zheng shared her changing perspective. “Actually, there are two people in the tennis community whom I really want to befriend. But I haven’t taken that step yet. I’ll talk about it once I do,” the 22-year-old told Chinese media.
Zheng has been involved in several on-court disputes, leading some to view her as a fierce competitor with a tough demeanor. After defeating American player Emma Navarro at the Paris Olympics, the two exchanged heated words at the net. Later, in a press conference, Navarro said she did not respect Zheng as a competitor, describing her approach as “cutthroat.”
Donna Vekic, who lost to Zheng in the Olympic final, hinted at tensions in the locker room, saying there were “controversial stories” about the Chinese star. She did not provide further details but previously liked a social media post suggesting Zheng was unpopular among players.
Zheng will face Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in the round of 16 at the Indian Wells Open on Wednesday at 11 a.m. (Hong Kong time). She is looking to regain momentum after a challenging start to the 2025 season. Despite reaching a career-high ranking of world No. 5 in November, she suffered an early exit at the Australian Open and lost three of her last four matches before heading to the United States.
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