Olympic champion Zheng out of Australian Open / Photo: Pedro Pardo - AFP
-
How recent controversies have rocked the US death penalty debate
-
Ukraine claims US missile holdup as Trump floats summit without Zelensky
-
Adams facing long injury layoff as Rams' problems deepen
-
Detained Suu Kyi receives UK royal package: Myanmar govt
-
US judge orders Saudi engineer held in OpenAI case
-
Japan successfully launches probe in historic Mars moon mission
-
Maddison sparkles as Spurs end Premier League winless run
-
US to auction deep sea mining leases off American Samoa
-
Maddison sparkles on Spurs return as win drought ends
-
Australian lawmaker hurt in car attack underwent surgery overnight: PM
-
Trump says ready to meet with Putin and Xi in China
-
Japan launches rocket for potential world first Mars moon mission
-
The young lawmaker making Brazil's Lula 'king of the selfie'
-
Ethiopia PM warns Eritrea of 'severe consequences' if supports enemies
-
Christiane Amanpour to leave CNN after 43 years
-
Boland grabs opportunity for Australia as South Africa struggle in second Test
-
Ronaldo handed 30-day suspension after walking out on Portugal
-
Ronaldo handed 30-day suspension: Portuguese federation
-
Netanyahu basks in Trump endorsement week before election
-
France announces curfews as government grapples with unrest
-
Saudi airport closure disrupts life in kingdom's capital
-
Boland sets pace as South Africa struggle
-
Ramaphosa tells South Africa to prepare for loss of US-Africa trade deal
-
Ukraine on back foot as Kremlin moots US, China meeting
-
France presses resale platforms to remove 'stolen' goods after unrest
-
'Stay home!': Tourists find themselves in a France convulsed by protests
-
Yamal v PSG: Ballon d'Or backdrop to Champions League showdown
-
Kenyan cult leader guilty on all charges over 191 starvation deaths
-
Araujo says too soon to talk about permanent Liverpool move
-
Eagles star Hurts to miss rest of NFL season: reports
-
US wants to be 'strong partner' for central Asia: Rubio
-
Oil-rich Alberta votes on Canada breakup
-
'Special' to face friend Perez in Champions League, says Liverpool's Iraola
-
Israel announces arrests after West Bank settler attacks on Westerners
-
Monitor says Indonesia fires have burned nearly two million hectares
-
Guehi insists players have 'trust and belief' in Man City after charges
-
French PM says could declare state of emergency over unrest 'if needed'
-
UN climate panel head wants swift end to deadlock over key scientific report
-
Albanian PM warns of 'red line' after days of unrest
-
PM calls for curfews in France as govt grapples with unrest
-
Putin, Xi and Trump could meet at APEC summit: Kremlin
-
Man City's Semenyo out for up to eight weeks
-
Microsoft exits data centre deal in blow to UK AI ambitions
-
Australian lawmaker critically hurt in 'violent' vehicle attack
-
European stocks retreat as France violence spreads
-
England women's coach Wiegman signs two-year contract extension
-
North Korea warns 'grave situation' prevailing along border
-
Louvre blocked as France grapples with unrest
-
Raya proud of Arsenal's 'incredible' reaction after third straight win
-
Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff shot at in Mumbai, three suspects held: police
Olympic champion Zheng out of Australian Open
Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen announced on Thursday that she was withdrawing from the Australian Open later this month due to a lack of physical conditioning.
The Chinese player is a former finalist at the year's opening Grand Slam, losing to current world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 6-2 in 2024.
Zheng underwent surgery on her elbow following a first round defeat at Wimbledon in July before returning to the WTA Tour in September.
However, she pulled out in the third round of the China Open in Beijing after admitting that she had rushed her return to competitive action.
"After careful evaluation by my team and following medical advice, unfortunately I will be withdrawing from the 2026 Australian Open," Zheng wrote on Instagram.
"Although my recovery is progressing well and my offseason has gone smoothly, to play a Grand Slam requires players to maintain an extreme competitive condition.
"Currently, I have not yet reached my best condition that I have set for myself."
The Australian Open, which begins on January 18, was where Zheng recorded her first Grand Slam victory and also her best Grand Slam result, although last year she was knocked out in the second round.
The 23-year-old had a standout 2024, beating Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 to claim Olympic gold in Paris and also reaching the final of WTA Finals, losing to Coco Gauff in a deciding set tiebreak.
Q.Najjar--SF-PST