Zheng opts out of United Cup to remain fresh for Australian Open

Australian Open runner-up Qinwen Zheng, aged 22, has announced that she will commence her 2025 season at the Grand Slam next month, opting to forgo participation in the United Cup mixed team tournament that begins this week.

Zheng reached the final of the first major tournament of the year in January, where she was defeated by Aryna Sabalenka. Despite this setback, she had a fruitful season, securing the gold medal at the Paris Olympics and winning WTA Tour titles in both Tokyo and Palermo.

The Chinese athlete, who finished as the runner-up at the Wuhan Open and the WTA Finals, participated in a total of 68 matches throughout the season.

"Given the demanding nature of the 2024 season, I require a few additional weeks for rest, recovery, and effective training to prepare for the upcoming season," Zheng stated on Instagram.

"I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at the United Cup in January of this year, and I will certainly miss the event."

"Nonetheless, I am eagerly looking forward to returning to Australia soon and will see everyone in Melbourne in a couple of weeks."

China will begin their campaign in the United Cup, scheduled from December 27 to January 5 in Perth, facing Brazil on Friday, with Gao Xinyu as their top women's player.

The Australian Open is set to commence on January 12.