Zheng Qinwen rediscovers rhythm in Rome with simple goals and seafood risotto

After an early Madrid exit, Zheng Qinwen returned to form in Rome with a straight-sets win over Olga Danilovic. Emphasizing a back-to-basics mindset and a love for seafood risotto, the world No. 8 is focused on finding her best tennis ahead of Roland Garros.

 

Zheng Qinwen rediscovers rhythm in Rome with simple goals and seafood risotto

ROME, Italy – Zheng Qinwen delivered a confident 6-1, 6-4 win over Serbia’s Olga Danilovic at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, bouncing back strongly after a disappointing first-round loss in Madrid.

 

The Olympic gold medallist admitted that overthinking had hampered her performance in recent weeks. “I realize when I think too far about the target, I didn’t play that good on court,” said Zheng. “So, I came back to the simple stuff: just to stay focused on every single point, fight for every single point. Nothing else than that because the more simple it is, the tennis becomes better.”

Zheng, known for her fierce competitiveness across all surfaces, particularly thrives on clay. Her stunning defeat of then-world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in Paris last summer cemented her credentials as a top threat. A two-time quarterfinalist in Rome, Zheng is using this tournament as a key tune-up for the French Open.

Reflecting on her Madrid loss to Anastasia Potapova, she maintained a lighthearted perspective. “If I count the past few years, I didn’t do anything well in Madrid,” she laughed. “That’s funny!”

On court, Zheng blended her trademark heavy topspin with more aggressive, flat finishing shots. Although she admitted playing too conservatively at times against Danilovic, who recently made the final in Rouen, she said she felt her rhythm improving.

 

“My goal in this tournament is just trying to fight in every single match and find my game. You actually find your best level in the match, not in the practice. I will just be there mentally and try to find the way to win the match, no matter how.”

Now ranked No. 8 in the world and just shy of her career-high No. 5, Zheng is building on a breakout 2024 season that saw her claim Olympic gold and reach her first Grand Slam final at the Australian Open. She noted that learning to tune out comparisons to peers like Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez has been crucial to her mental shift.

“You know what? When I put the eyes too much on other players, I don’t focus too much on myself,” she said. “I didn’t find good results when I got distracted. These days, I try to put more focus on myself, how I’m going to be better, and not look anymore at what the others are doing or saying. Right now, I just want to stay in a calm, simple zone to find the best of my tennis.”

That calm zone includes a consistent off-court routine—especially when it comes to food. Zheng has eaten at the same restaurant every night in Rome.

 

“Oh my god!” she said, lighting up. “It’s incredible, I can just say. At the same time, staying healthy with my diet but still finding pleasure. I love one of the fish dishes at the restaurant and the seafood risotto is so good, so good and so healthy!”

Refreshed and refocused, Zheng will next face Poland’s Magdalena Freçh, the No. 26 seed, in the third round.