Olympic Champion Zheng Qinwen Pulls Out of U.S. Open After Elbow Surgery

World No. 6 faces weeks off court after battling chronic pain; fans rally behind her recovery journey

Chinese tennis star and reigning Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen is officially out of this year’s U.S. Open, the tournament announced on Monday. The decision follows her recent elbow surgery, ending weeks of speculation after the world number six shared her injury struggles online.

The 21-year-old had been experiencing “persistent pain” in her right elbow, a nagging issue that worsened during the summer swing and visibly affected her training sessions and on-court performance. Last week, Zheng confirmed she had undergone arthroscopic surgery to address the problem—and would now be stepping away from the court temporarily.

Injury cloud had been looming since Wimbledon exit

Zheng’s elbow concerns have been bubbling under the surface for a while, but they became harder to ignore during Wimbledon 2025, where she crashed out in the opening round against Katerina Siniaková. Observers noted Zheng appeared hesitant on her forehand and skipped post-match practice, fueling concerns about her fitness.

Her early exit from the grass-court major only added to the whispers. Fans saw her wincing between points, occasionally flexing her arm mid-rally. But at the time, her camp stayed relatively quiet—until she broke her silence in an Instagram post last week.

There, Zheng admitted she’d been trying to push through the pain for months. That gamble, it turns out, came at a cost.

Multiple treatments, limited relief, tough call

Before opting for surgery, Zheng reportedly pursued conservative treatments, including physiotherapy, rest cycles, and injections. But as one insider close to her coaching team put it, “nothing was working consistently.”

Eventually, she and her team consulted with a group of elbow specialists in Europe and Asia. That led to a consensus: arthroscopic surgery was the safest long-term solution.

The surgery was performed late last week. Zheng’s representatives have declined to specify the exact recovery timeline but suggested she would “re-evaluate tournament entries in late September.”

One-sentence paragraph here for rhythm.

Not the first injury scare in Zheng’s young career

Zheng, who turned 21 in October, has quickly become one of the most exciting players on tour. But the road hasn’t been entirely smooth.

She dealt with a shoulder issue during the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou and had a minor ankle sprain during her breakthrough run at Roland Garros last year. So this elbow flare-up isn’t entirely out of the blue—it’s the latest in a series of physical demands placed on an increasingly high-profile young athlete.

Still, the elbow is a different beast.

For a power-based baseline player like Zheng, it’s the joint that takes the brunt of her aggressive groundstrokes and heavy service motion. Any compromise there affects both her timing and confidence.

Her 2025 season so far: Bright highs, painful lows

Before the elbow pain took over, Zheng was enjoying one of her best stretches as a professional. She started the year with a win at the Dubai Tennis Championships, followed by a run to the semis in Miami, where she defeated two top-10 players back-to-back.

Here’s a quick glance at her 2025 performance before the surgery:

It’s clear the elbow problem escalated as the season wore on. While she remained outwardly composed, her stats—especially serve speed and unforced errors—told a different story.

Fan support pours in as Zheng begins rehab

Zheng’s announcement triggered an outpouring of support across social media. Fellow players including Elena Rybakina and Ons Jabeur posted messages wishing her a speedy recovery, while thousands of fans flooded her latest post with encouragement in both English and Mandarin.

One small paragraph again.

The Chinese Tennis Association has not yet commented on her withdrawal from the U.S. Open, but insiders say she remains firmly in their long-term plans for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

What’s next—and when will she return?

Recovery timelines for arthroscopic elbow procedures vary, but most athletes require 6 to 10 weeks before returning to competitive play. In some cases, particularly when tendon repair is involved, that timeline can stretch even longer.

• Best case: Practice resumes mid-September, returns for late-season Asia swing

• Worst case: Out for the rest of 2025, eyes full fitness for Australian Open 2026

Zheng’s team says she’s “focusing fully on rehabilitation for now” and will only return when fully cleared by medical staff.

One insider close to her camp added: “She’s learning to say no to rushing back. The Olympics are behind her now—she’s thinking long-term.”