In a thrilling round-of-16 clash at the Wuhan Open, World No. 7 Zheng Qinwen found herself embroiled in controversy as she faced off against rising star Leylah Fernandez. The match got off to a tense start, with Fernandez taking the first set 7-5, putting the pressure on the Chinese tennis star.
As the second set got underway, things took a dramatic turn when Zheng stopped play to address Fernandez’s father, coach Jorge, who she claimed was distracting her during the match. In a post-match interview, Zheng admitted, “I was distracted by Leylah’s father and coach Jorge, but I never said or did anything disrespectful that could provoke them.”
The confrontation between Zheng and Fernandez’s camp led to a heated exchange, with the Canadian player asking Zheng what the issue was before the chair umpire got involved. From that moment on, the match took a drastic turn, with Zheng losing her rhythm and momentum as Fernandez capitalized on the distraction to win 11 of the next 13 games and secure a 5-7 6-3 6-0 victory.
Despite the loss, Zheng remained adamant that she had done nothing wrong during the incident. When asked to explain what had transpired during the second-set altercation, the 22-year-old provided a detailed account of the events that had unfolded on court.
The controversy surrounding Zheng’s clash with Fernandez’s father and coach added an extra layer of drama to what was already a high-stakes match. While Fernandez emerged victorious on the court, the fallout from the incident left fans and pundits alike buzzing with speculation about what had truly transpired between the two players.
As the dust settled on their contentious showdown, one thing was for certain – the rivalry between Zheng Qinwen and Leylah Fernandez was far from over. With tensions running high and emotions running even higher, the stage was set for a potential rematch that could ignite fireworks on the tennis court once again.