"After we break, I wanted to kill my opponents to put frustration out" - Zheng Qinwen on anger she harbored after ex-coach left her for Naomi Osaka

Zheng Qinwen opened up about the frustration she felt post splitting with her former coach, who left her to train Naomi Osaka. The Chinese defeated Osaka in the fourth round of the 2024 Italian Open.

Qinwen is currently competing at the Italian Open where she is the seventh seed, giving her a bye in the first round. She began her run with a straight-set win over Shelby Rogers and followed it with a comeback win against Linda Noskova.

The Chinese then met Naomi Osaka, who is coached by her former coach Wim Fissette. Fissette has been accused by the World No. 7 of breaching their contract. Qinwen saw off the Japanese comfortably 6-2, 6-4.

During an interview with the Tennis Channel after her match, Qinwen was asked if she harbored any resentment towards her former coach who had left her for Osaka. She replied that during the initial few months, she was very frustrated and wanted to kill her opponents during that phase to vent out her anger but was at peace with the situation now.

"If you ask me this uhh… few months before, after we break, like, one month, two months, three months, four months, I will tell you yes absolutely, I got really fired up, I wanted to kill my opponents, I want to, you know, put my frustration out. But you asked me right now, after many months 6-7 months already, I would say, you know, it’s just a normal match for me. I treat her like a usual opponent."

Zheng Qinwen said that she held Osaka in high regard as she returned to the sport after giving birth, something only women could understand how hard it is. She said that all said and done, Osaka was like any other opponent whom she would face and try her best to defeat.

"Of course, I have more respect to her because she come back as a mother. I think as a woman athlete that's really not easy, I have all the respect for all the tennis player woman who come back as a mother. Cause, only woman knows how difficult is that."

"Yeah, so I treat her like big respect like a normal opponent, nothing to think more, just me against her, and let's play, I will give my best anyway."

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Zheng Qinwen set to face Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals

Internazionali BNL D'Italia 2024 - Day Eight

Zheng Qinwen will face the third seed Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Italian Open in what will be the first match between the two.

Gauff, much like Qinwen, is trying to find some rhythm on clay and seems to have hit her straps at the Italian Open. The American comprehensively defeated Magdalena Frech in her opening match and followed it up with a topsy-turvy three-set win over Jacqueline Cristian. The World No. 3 defeated Paula Badosa from a set down 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals.

The winner of this match will play the winner of the match between top seed Iga Swiatek and 18th seed Madison Keys in the semifinals.