Wen-der woman: China’s Zheng Qinwen reacts after beating Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur in the fourth round of the US Open on Sept 4. -AFP
NEW YORK: Zheng Qinwen, the brightest of China’s growing cohort of bright tennis lights, was seven years old when she first picked up a racquet.
Almost instantly, she was among the best children her age in her hometown, Shiyan, by Chinese standards a smaller city with 1.1 million people. She loved the sport, and after two months she and her father travelled to Wuhan, a few hours’ drive away and with a population of more than 11 million people, to show off her game to a more advanced coach. The opportunity thrilled her, and she soaked up compliments.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Subscribe or renew your subscriptions to win prizes worth up to RM68,000!
Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
