Zheng Qinwen confirms withdrawal from 2026 Australian Open

Zheng Qinwen revealed she would not compete at the upcoming 2026 Australian Open Thursday, the former finalist sharing a statement to social media Thursday.“

Making this decision has been incredibly difficult for me. Melbourne is my ‘lucky place,’ where I won my first Grand Slam main draw match and where I had my best experience,” wrote Zheng. “I have a special connection to this place, and I was very eager to start my new season at the Melbourne Park.”

The 23-year-old made her Grand Slam breakthrough at the 2024 Australian Open, finishing runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka. She ended that season with another strong result at the WTA Finals, falling just short of the title against Coco Gauff.

But the Shiyan, China native has struggled with injuries since then, losing early at two of three 2025 Grand Slam appearances and withdrawing from the US Open entirely in the hopes of healing a persistent elbow injury.

“Although my recovery is progressing well and my offseason has gone smoothly, to play a Grand Slam requires players to maintain an extreme competitive condition,” Zheng explained. “Currently, I have not yet reached my best condition that I have set for myself.

“I can't thank everyone enough for their continued support and am very much looking forward to being 100% back on the court and having a strong 2026 season return @australianopen.”

A former world No. 4, Zheng is currently No. 24 in the WTA rankings, having played just one tournament since Wimbledon.