Zheng Qinwen Cries After Shock French Open First-Round Exit

PARIS — Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen was eliminated in the first round of the French Open on Monday, falling 4-6, 0-6 to Poland’s Maja Chwalińska in what the Chinese star described as a “very heavy loss.” The defeat marks the first time in five appearances at Roland Garros that Zheng has exited in the opening round, and it will see her ranking plummet outside the world’s top 100.

According to Xinhua News, Zheng struggled with unforced errors throughout the match, committing 32 in total. After fighting back from 1-4 down to level the first set at 4-4, she lost eight consecutive games, dropping the second set 0-6 — a “bagel.” She received treatment for a foot blister while trailing 3-0 in the second set but could not stem the tide.

A Career at a Crossroads

This was Zheng’s first Grand Slam appearance in 10 months, returning after undergoing right elbow surgery in July 2025. The procedure derailed a career that had been on a meteoric rise. Zheng reached a career-high ranking of world No. 4 in June 2025 and was a quarterfinalist at last year’s French Open. But she has won just seven matches in 2026 since returning to competition in February.

As The Athletic reported, Zheng’s live ranking dropped to approximately No. 117 after the defeat, leaving her in the “previously unimaginable position of having to qualify for the biggest events.”

“The nerves and the pressure today didn’t allow me to play the tennis that I want,” Zheng said in her post-match press conference, fighting back tears. “If I said I had no expectations for the French Open, that would be a lie. This is a very heavy loss, but maybe it will give me a different perspective and make me stronger when I return.”

Chwalińska’s Masterclass

Maja Chwalińska, ranked No. 114 and a qualifier who came through the qualifying rounds, produced what Charlie Eccleshare of The Athletic called “a masterclass in variation.” She committed just three unforced errors in the first set compared to Zheng’s 16, using heavy topspin groundstrokes to neutralize the Chinese star’s power game.

Zheng acknowledged her opponent’s quality. “She played really well on clay today. Her topspin quality was even higher than I expected,” she said, adding that the smaller court dimensions on Court 7 limited her ability to defend.

Coach’s Accident Adds to Turmoil

Compounding Zheng’s difficulties, her coach Pere Riba was involved in a car accident approximately 10 days before the match and was seen in the stands wearing a neck brace. “It’s not an easy moment for us. It’s a difficult moment,” Zheng said, according to The Athletic.

Riba has coached Zheng since 2021 (with a brief split in 2023) and has been a constant presence during her rise from WTA Newcomer of the Year in 2022 to Olympic champion at the Paris 2024 Games, where she defeated world No. 1 Iga Świątek at Roland Garros — Świątek’s only loss at the venue in 26 matches.

What Comes Next

At 23, Zheng has time to rebuild, but the path back is steep. She acknowledged that she may need to start from lower-level events to regain match rhythm and confidence. “I don’t pay too much attention to rankings, but I admit a lot of things need to start over,” she said.

According to Wikipedia, Zheng is only the second Chinese player to reach the top 5 in women’s singles after Li Na, and her Olympic gold medal remains a historic achievement — the first Asian tennis player to win Olympic singles gold. But with her ranking now outside the top 100, she faces the prospect of needing wildcards or qualifying entries for Wimbledon and future Grand Slams.

“I think the problem was I needed more matches to get into the rhythm,” Zheng said. “Of course it’s hard for me to take that I lost the match.”

Chwalińska will next face either No. 23 seed Elise Mertens or Tatjana Maria in the second round.