US OPEN

September 6, 2023

Zheng Qinwen

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/Z. Qinwen

6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on the tournament. Not the results you wanted today, but talk about the match today in specific and your run in this tournament as a whole as you look back now on this US Open.

ZHENG QINWEN: I think the match today make me think a lot. First of all, I think Sabalenka, she got a really strong serve. Also, she make me feel that it's tough to return.

I think she's one of the fastest serve in the tour. I think the next time if I have to play against her that I have to deal with especially the return how to handle it, her service game.

Yes, and if you just talk about result, of course it's not bad for me, but honestly, in my mind I really wants to go to farther. But honestly, there is still a lot of room for me to improve, especially she make me think a lot, once again, that I have to go back and put some work on in my tennis.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. In terms of the type of player that Sabalenka is, now that you have played her, and I assume you have watched her before, is that the style generally of kind of tennis that you want to play as well, that heavy spin, aggressive, all-court tennis, or do you see her as a completely different type of player to you?

ZHENG QINWEN: Maybe similar but there is still different I want to be. First of all, she got a great serve, I think she's one of the fastest serve right now on tour, and so if you want to beat her, first you have to know how to handle it in her service game. Like today I didn't handle it well. That's why I couldn't break her even once.

Yeah, our game style was a bit more similar, but I will not say, like, in the future I want to become like that, because I have my own game style.

Q. We talked a little bit to Wim about your game and he was saying it's about balance. Maybe on one surface too aggressive or on another surface maybe a little bit passive, and it's about finding that balance, finding your style. Can you talk about that a little bit.

ZHENG QINWEN: Yeah, because today when I arrived to the match in the beginning, I feel my balance was a little bit too low, because I didn't hit the ball enough. Also, that's make me had lot of mistakes. I didn't get into the match, like, fast like I was. So it took me a while.

Also, she's been playing more fast than all the other players. Also that's maybe one of the reason and I didn't get to the match.

In the second set I start to get more used to of her shot. It start to be better. So it was pity for me to lost that service game from me.

Yeah, like you say, the balance obviously is really important and also about decision of each shot. Like the service game I lost, I didn't make a good choices there.

Q. You had to deal with this shade at Arthur Ashe for the first time in the first set and how difficult that is especially with how she hits the ball. Yet you made an adjustment and started to play better in your service games. Can you talk about dealing with playing on Ashe with that roof there and how it was to try to combat her power.

ZHENG QINWEN: Oh, honestly I hate that different half shadow, half sun. Because I feel that's also bad, I mean, my eyes. And later when the sun start to move away, there is full shadow on court, I also feel my reaction start to be faster.

Also, that's my first time play in those kind of conditions, like half shadow, half sun. I mean, Sabalenka, she's a very experienced player, she deal like very fast and she handle better situation today than me. That's why she took the first set very easy from me. And me, I have to working, like, hard to find my game back again in the second set.

Q. Did you think in terms of your return with how far back you were for her pace? Was there a thought for you and Wim to maybe give her a different look in terms of maybe bunting back the return and making her think, or were you just still comfortable and she just served too good?

ZHENG QINWEN: I mean, she has one of the fastest serve in tour. Also close speed to some men's.

So I think also is a good tactic to really go far away back to make her play and return the ball deep. It's just, you know, it's too big difference between her and the other girls' serve. So it's not every match like in the men's that they always return like that. It's like today is also something new for me that I have to return that far away back, because I don't want, like, just give her the point too easy away.

Q. Just on the second serve, when she throws in a second serve, that's all pace. Was there any thought did you want to play more aggressive or you just want to get the ball in play?

ZHENG QINWEN: When I arrive on the match, at beginning I want to play more aggressive in the second serve, but then I find out her second serve was much more faster than what I imagined before, so I change my tactic during the match. So I say I have to put ball back with good intensity and try to find weakness during the rally, yeah.

Q. What is the lesson and what do you take out of the US Open, the wins that you got, the progress obviously that you made first quarterfinal, but also obviously a tough match today? What do you take with you into the rest of the season?

ZHENG QINWEN: The one make me think the most is to the loss of today. I felt that I need to put more intensity honestly in my tennis shot and more first-serve percentage, because today the percentage was really low.

Yes, and especially I feel against her I need to know how to defense better and stay more in the rally. Yeah, because I think Sabalenka, she's a tough opponent to beat, and the loss today, like I always say, make me think a lot, yeah.

Q. Just in terms of the fall, you're playing Asian Games; is that right?

ZHENG QINWEN: Yes, I am.

Q. In terms of how you balance your schedule for the fall and what it's going to be like for you to kind of play Asian Games and play in China, it will be kind of the first time since you've become the player that you are?

ZHENG QINWEN: Yes, that will be the first time for me to play Asian Game. I will treat like same important as all the other match that I play, because every time I step on court, my intention is try to give my best. But before that, for sure I will take some days off and try to refresh myself and put in the work again, yeah.

Q. Were you at all worried when you got out and you felt how hot it was this morning?

ZHENG QINWEN: You mean hard of what?

Q. Hot.

ZHENG QINWEN: Hot?

Q. Do you like playing in this kind of weather?

ZHENG QINWEN: For me it is not hot at all, these conditions. I wouldn't even consider this weather hot (smiling).

Q. Because in China where you grew up it's very hot?

ZHENG QINWEN: Yes. I mean, this is a good temperature. Especially in the second set. We got shadow there. I mean, the first set was tricky because there is half shadow, half sun. Tooks me a while to get fast reaction in my eyes, but really in the second set, I honestly think that was good condition, yeah.

Q. You mentioned going back to work on things. I wondered if you would just tell us a little bit about what your nonmatch work routines are like.

ZHENG QINWEN: First of all, if I just think by myself, I will say return plus first shots, especially I need maybe one big tall guy who serving from there and get more fast reaction. That's gonna be the key to beat, I mean, huge serve like Sabalenka.

There is still a lot other girl have good serve. So if I want to beat them, first of all, I have to get good rhythm plus the first shot and honestly improve on my serve as well more percentage. I know I got the speed, but now is the time to get the percentage.

Yeah, I think during the rallies, I feel quite comfortable. Maybe I will say I would like to come more forward to the net.

Q. In terms of going back and playing at home, are you ready for kind of what that's going to be like, what the atmosphere will be like with fans, your fans, people who have not yet been able to see you play at the level you're playing now and what that experience will be like? Are you excited, or is that a lot of pressure?

ZHENG QINWEN: Of course I'm excited to be there, but is also the first time for me to play in front of all the Chinese people and at my home there. That will be new experience to figure it out.

I don't know if I really, in that situation, how I gonna feel, but I will feel proud honestly to play in my home, to show up some tennis.