Zheng Qinwen drops to No. 123 after Canadian Open qualifying defeat

Former world No. 4 and 2024 Paris Olympic gold‑medalist Zheng Qinwen has fallen to No. 123 in the WTA rankings. In Toronto she was beaten 6‑3, 6‑4 by Thailand’s Lanlana Tararudee in the Canadian Open qualifying round, a loss that follows an early exit at the Mubadala DC Open.

The Chinese player has been hampered by a chronic right‑elbow injury that required surgery and kept her out for most of the previous season. Health problems and inconsistent form have seen her slip out of the top‑100, meaning she must now play qualifying matches or rely on wild‑cards for events such as the Canadian Open, Cincinnati and the US Open. Analysts suggest she should focus on lower‑tier ITF and 125 tournaments to rebuild confidence and ranking.

Zheng’s rapid decline highlights the challenges athletes face when returning from long‑term injury after a period of high‑profile success.