Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen has confirmed she will step away from the WTA Tour temporarily as she recovers from elbow surgery. The 22-year-old Chinese tennis star made the announcement on Saturday, just weeks after her early exit from Wimbledon. Zheng was eliminated in the first round of this year’s Wimbledon by Czech player Katerina Siniakova. She later revealed that she had undergone arthroscopic surgery on her right elbow on Friday. “Now begins the recovery journey,” Zheng wrote on Instagram. “Over the next few weeks and months, I’ll be focusing entirely on rehab—doing everything I can to come back stronger and healthier.” Positive Outlook on Road to Recovery Despite the setback, Zheng remains upbeat and views the pause in competition as a step toward long-term improvement. “This is just a short break, and I see it as a necessary step toward a better version of myself on the court,” she added. Olympic Champion with Rising Career Profile Zheng rose to global prominence by winning the women’s singles title at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She also claimed the most recent of her five WTA titles at the Pan Pacific Open in Japan in October of the same year. Although she has yet to win a Grand Slam title, Zheng has come close on multiple occasions. She reached the final of the 2024 Australian Open, made two quarter-final appearances at the US Open, and advanced to the last eight at this year’s French Open. With the final Grand Slam of the season—the US Open—set to begin on August 24 at Flushing Meadows in New York, it remains to be seen whether Zheng will be ready in time to compete. (with agency inputs)