SHANGHAI — Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen announced Thursday that she will withdraw from the 2026 Australian Open later this month due to insufficient physical conditioning.
The Chinese tennis player, who was a finalist at the 2024 Australian Open, lost to world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 6-2.
Zheng underwent elbow surgery following a first-round loss at Wimbledon in July and returned to the WTA Tour in September. She later withdrew in the third round of the China Open in Beijing, citing a rushed return to competition.
“After careful evaluation by my team and following medical advice, unfortunately I will be withdrawing from the 2026 Australian Open,” Zheng wrote on Instagram, adding that she has not yet reached the competitive condition required for a Grand Slam.