"Don't be the next person, just be the first me." She is not the next Li Na, she is the first Zheng Qinwen.
The 21-year-old Zheng Qinwen ended his first Grand Slam final trip in his career and once again faced Sabalenka. He was swept and lost with the same result as last year's US Open. However, being able to win the Australian Open runner-up was already a success for Zheng Qinwen. Huge yes. The future prospects of China's new No. 1 sister are generally optimistic. It may only be a matter of time before she surpasses Li Na in the future. Especially through the analysis of four dimensions, there is great hope. More than 60% of Tencent News netizens also agree that she can surpass Li Na.
In a previous interview, Zheng Qinwen was once asked whether he wanted to surpass his idol Li Na. Zheng Qinwen said: "I think everyone is different and has their own different path to take. Some people become famous at a young age, and some people have to go through a lot of hardships to get the final trophy. I don't know my own. I don’t know what the road is like, and I don’t know what kind of road I will take. I can only say that I will be myself and play one game at a time!”
Physical fitness is stronger than Li Na
The competitiveness of Asian tennis players in the world in the past Not good, the fundamental reason is the innate difference in physical talent. Li Na's sudden emergence has made people see her excellent physical fitness among Asian players, especially her batting power that is not inferior to European and American players.
As for Zheng Qinwen's physical fitness now, it is actually better than Li Na's in the past. Li Na is 1.72 meters tall and weighs 65 kilograms. She has a fierce forehand, flexibility, a good baseline and great strength. Zheng Qinwen is 1.78 meters tall and weighs 70 kilograms. Zheng Qinwen has more advantages in strength and physical fitness. Just as Zhang Shuai commented on her: "Zheng Qinwen can hit a strong forehand topspin, serve speed, serve accuracy, and change line ability." , movement speed is very good, she can also make sliding and cutting movements on hard ground, I think she is very comprehensive."
Zheng Qinwen has better physical fitness, which is naturally expected to help her make greater progress in the future. And it is more advantageous to compete in the tennis world.
's record in the same period far exceeded Li Na's
On January 27, 2024, the 21-year-old Zheng Qinwen won the Australian Open runner-up, and also advanced to the quarterfinals of the US Open. In 2023, when he was 20 years old, he had already won two WTA tour championships.
As for Li Na, she had not played in a Grand Slam main draw at the age of 21. It was not until she was 23 that she made her Grand Slam main draw debut at the 2005 Australian Open. As for Li Na's first WTA championship, she was the 2004 Guangzhou Tennis Open champion. She was already 22 years old at the time, and Li Na's next championship had to wait until the 2008 Australian Gold Coast Championship.
Comparing his performance in the same period of his career, Zheng Qinwen is far behind Li Na. Of course, since the two people live in different times and environments, such a comparison does not make much sense, but it also shows that Zheng Qinwen's future is more malleable.
The external environment is more suitable for growth
Li Na is an athlete trained by the national system. She is inextricably linked to the system. Even though her performance improved significantly after her solo career, it was still the result of her "struggle" with the system. There is no doubt that Li Na's career has been quite bumpy, especially in the early stages when she encountered different difficulties.
Relatively speaking, Li Na is a "pioneer", and for the younger generation such as Zheng Qinwen, the external environment they are in now is undoubtedly much stronger than in the past, and it is more suitable for their growth, which is naturally conducive to their achievements.
The competitive environment is easier
At the 2011 French Open, 29-year-old Li Na won her first career Grand Slam title.
At the 2014 Australian Open, 32-year-old Li Na won her second career Grand Slam title.
In the 2024 Australian Open, 21-year-old Zheng Qinwen won the Australian Open runner-up.
Li Na did not officially win her first Grand Slam title until she was 29 years old. She is undoubtedly a "late bloomer". As for Li Na, who only won her second Grand Slam title at the age of 32, she ended up with two Grand Slam crowns, which is an extremely outstanding achievement.
Li Na lived in an era where competition was extremely difficult. At that time, the Williams sisters, the Belgian twins, and the Russian Pink Army were all powerful enemies in front of Li Na.In an era when Serena Williams has absolute dominance, as well as Venus Williams, Henin, Sharapova and many other masters, you can imagine how difficult it is to win a Grand Slam championship.
On the other hand, in today's women's tennis, although there are Swiatek and Naomi Osaka who have won 4 major championships, as well as players such as Sabalenka, Gauff, Rybakina, etc., no player has absolute dominance. In the chaotic competitive landscape of women's tennis, it will undoubtedly be easier for Zheng Qinwen to win a Grand Slam championship in the future.
To sum up, it may be the general trend that Zheng Qinwen will surpass Li Na in the future, and her journey forward has just begun. When we start again, the road ahead is still full of thorns; when we start again, the road ahead is still unpredictable; when we start again, the road ahead is still full of dreams... I look forward to Zheng Qinwen's continued journey, and I also look forward to Zheng Qinwen's continued pursuit of dreams, because the dream you stick to will never fade. .
(Text/Zui Wo Fu Sheng)
