Qinwen Zheng Undergoes Elbow Surgery, Return Date Uncertain

Originally posted on Serve on SI | By Pat Benson | Last updated Jul 19, 2025 9:13 AM ET

On Saturday morning, WTA World No. 6 Qinwen Zheng announced that she had undergone arthroscopic surgery on her right elbow. The Chinese star shared a picture and message to her fans on her Instagram.

"I want to share a quick update with you all. Over the past months, I've been dealing with persistent pain in my right elbow during training and matches. Despite trying various treatments to manage it, the discomfort never fully went away.

After consulting with elbow specialists and discussing thoroughly with my team, we decided that arthroscopic surgery was the best option to fully resolve the issue. Yesterday, I underwent the procedure successfully, and I'm grateful to have it behind me.

Now begins the recovery journey. Over the next few weeks and months, I'll be focusing entirely on rehab—doing everything I can to come back stronger and healthier.

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A post shared by Zheng Qinwen (@zhengqinwen_tennis)

This is just a short break, and I see it as a necessary step toward a better version of myself on court. Thank you all for your continued support and encouragement. I can't wait to be back—see you soon!"

The 2024 WTA season was a breakout year for Zheng. She won a gold medal in the Paris Summer Olympics and made it to the final of the WTA Finals in Riyadh.

However, Zheng returned from her shortened off-season wearing an elbow sleeve on her right arm. She has worn it all season and has struggled with consistency. Zheng is currently 19-11 with zero titles.

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A post shared by WTA (@wta)

In March, Zheng told Chinese media, "There's still a little pain, but it doesn't significantly affect my play. I can still feel it a bit, so wearing the sleeve provides some protection."

This is disheartening news for Zheng's global fan base, as she struggled through the clay court season and flamed out on grass. Most of the tennis world expected a strong second half of the year on hard court.

However, there is no official return date for Zheng as 2025 appears to be slipping away from the 22-year-old.

This article first appeared on Serve on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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