Yesterday, WTA announced the latest world ranking list. Zheng Qinwen, who had just won the runner-up at the Australian Open, rose to a career-high seventh place, becoming the highest-ranked Chinese female tennis player in the world after Li Na. Whether she can become a new high-quality idol in Chinese sports like Winter Olympic champion Gu Ailing is a matter of concern.
Two talented girls from China complement each other
The dust of the 2024 Australian Open that lasted for two weeks has been settled. Zheng Qinwen won the first Grand Slam runner-up in his career and received a runner-up bonus of AU$1,725,000. Almost at the same time, a huge poster of Zheng Qinwen wearing the sponsored brand's jersey appeared in a prime advertising position in Sanlitun, Beijing, attracting everyone's attention.
At the Winter Extreme Games held in Aspen, the United States, at the same time, Chinese freestyle skiing Winter Olympics champion Gu Ailing won the U-shaped track gold medal despite injury. Two Chinese talented girls are reaching the top of their respective sports fields.
In the list of the highest-paid female athletes in sports in 2023 announced by Forbes magazine on December 21 last year, Gu Ailing ranked second in the world with US$22.1 million, of which only US$100,000 came from competition bonuses, and US$22 million in average. From off-field endorsements.
Recently, Zheng Qinwen also appeared on the Forbes list for the first time. At that time, she ranked 15th with US$1.7 million in competition bonus income and US$5.5 million in endorsement income. This is also the second time that a Chinese female tennis player has appeared on the Forbes list after two-time Grand Slam champion Li Na.
The moment he wins the championship, he needs someone else to help him on the podium.
Gu Ailing was injured twice in training in the 2024 season, but he still persisted in playing despite the injury, winning two gold medals and one silver in three World Cup events. When she won the championship, she needed the support of other players to reach the top podium. This shows that Gu Ailing has paid too much for this sport.
Gu Ailing, who is a Winter Olympics champion, a top student in a prestigious school, and a darling in the fashion industry, has been growing in popularity since the Beijing Winter Olympics.
According to incomplete statistics, Gu Ailing has cooperated with more than 30 brands, and Chinese and foreign sponsors are very fond of her. It can be said that this has something to do with Gu Ailing's inspiring youthful image.
has two idol-level female athletes at the same time.
After Zheng Qinwen achieves a major breakthrough in the Australian Open this year, his value will undoubtedly rise further.
Compared with Li Na, although Zheng Qinwen is not the icebreaker in China's women's tennis, she still leads the income list as the first person in China's women's tennis. In addition, since the Open era, the 21-year-old Zheng Qinwen is the "second youngest" player in history among all Asian players to reach the Grand Slam final for the first time. Before her, there was only the 2018 US Open women's singles champion, who was 20 years old. Year-old Naomi Osaka.
It is also worth noting that Gu Ailing said in a recent interview with the media that she will continue to represent China in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, which will give thousands of Chinese girls the opportunity to see ice and snow sports. potential and hopes to play a bigger role in the wider women's sport. For Chinese sports, it is absolutely a blessing to have two iconic female athletes, Gu Ailing and Zheng Qinwen, who can continue to demonstrate their extraordinary sports talents on the world's top competition stages.
Text/Photo provided by our reporter Chu Peng
/Xinhua News Agency
