Tennis

Zheng Qinwen, the reigning Olympic champion, is experiencing an extraordinary homecoming at the Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open, her hometown tournament. The 22-year-old has become a celebrity in China after her breakthrough 2024 season, which included a Grand Slam final and an Olympic gold medal.Zheng's newfound fame has brought both excitement and pressure. "I can feel the passion already when I'm walking on the street," she said. "Once they recognize me, everybody starts to came around asking me signature, asking the photos."Despite the attention, Zheng remains focused on her tennis. "I'm also feeling the responsibility as a leader of the new generation," she said. "I will pay attention to my performance on court as well as my words off court. I need to be cautious."Zheng has struck a balance between her newfound celebrity and her tennis career. She has carried her Olympic momentum into a second consecutive US Open quarterfinal and reached the semifinals in Beijing.At the Wuhan Open, Zheng is seeded fifth and will face Romanian wild card Jaqueline Cristian in her first match. "It's not that important who you're facing," she said. "I need to focus on myself because it's really hard to control. I need to be myself the best to perform the best."Zheng also shared a message for young players, encouraging them to enjoy their childhood and not focus solely on winning. "To those children who are practicing tennis, I hope that you can enjoy your time in elementary school because that's a time when winning is not that important, just enjoy tennis."

Alexander Zverev, the world number four, continued his impressive season by securing a straight-sets victory over China's Zhang Zhizhen at the Hamburg tournament. The 6-4, 6-3 win marked Zverev's 43rd of the season, surpassing the tally of world number one Jannik Sinner.Zverev, who is aiming to defend his Hamburg title, displayed a high level of tennis throughout the match, showing no signs of the knee injury that hampered him at Wimbledon. The German star expressed his satisfaction with his performance, stating, "I'm extremely pleased with the level of tennis today."Zverev's victory sets up a semi-final clash with Spain's Pedro Martinez, who upset Argentine fourth seed Francisco Cerundolo in a thrilling three-set encounter. Zverev is eager to continue his momentum and defend his Olympic title at Roland Garros, where he triumphed at the delayed Tokyo Games in 2021.Reflecting on his remarkable 2021 season, Zverev said, "2021 was strange, because I started the season OK, I was playing well, but then the second half of the season, I barely lost a match." He expressed his hope that he can replicate that success this year, particularly at the Olympics and US Open.Zverev's victory in Hamburg is a testament to his resilience and determination. Despite the challenges he has faced, he remains focused on achieving his goals and cementing his status as one of the top players in the world.