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Zheng Qinwen of China speaks to the audience during the awarding ceremony of the final match against Coco Gauff of the US at WTA Finals tennis tournament in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, November 9. Photo: Xinhua/Wang Haizhou

In the early hours of Sunday, the Chinese Tennis Association published a congratulatory letter on its official website, celebrating Chinese tennis ace Zheng Qinwen's runner-up finish at the 2024 WTA Finals.

The letter highlighted Zheng's breakthroughs in tennis in 2024, including her Olympic gold in women's singles, reaching the semifinals of the China Open, runner-up at the Wuhan Open, winning the Tokyo title, and achieving runner-up in her debut appearance at the WTA Finals.

"In 2024, you have shown the courage, ambition, and resilience of China's new generation on the world stage, setting a new example of patriotism and inspiration for Chinese youth in the new era. In you, we see the passionate patriotism and vibrant spirit of China's new generation of athletes!" said the letter.

Zheng finished her maiden WTA Finals campaign as the runner-up after being defeated by Coco Gauff of the US 6-3, 4-6, 6-7 in the final. This result matched the record set by the famous Chinese tennis player Li Na in 2013 for the best singles performance by an Asian player in the tournament.

After the match, Zheng expressed gratitude to the organizers, the staff, and the audience, and congratulated Gauff on her victory, expressing hope for further improvement in the future.

"I feel like I played at 60 or 70 percent of my potential," Zheng said, noting that her handling of key points and mid-court shots could be improved, during an interview with CCTV.

"My new goal is to constantly push my limits - in tennis, in every area of my fitness, and of course, in my results," Zheng said in the interview. "I believe that only by continuously breaking through and challenging myself can I truly understand tennis, because tennis is my passion and my dream. That's the reason I have kept going all this time."

Zheng said that she has been in a "state of persistence" throughout the season, pushing through a packed schedule and many tough matches.

"What makes me happiest," she said, "is that since winning the Olympic gold, I have managed to keep my level up. This is what I've always aimed for. Only by maintaining this position long-term will I have more chances to win."

Chen Chi, a Beijing-based tennis commentator, told the Global Times that, despite the defeat, the runner-up finish demonstrates Zheng's capability to challenge every player on the WTA Tour.

"Reaching the final and finishing as runner-up is already an incredible achievement," Chen said.

"If Zheng continues her trajectory next season, there's a chance for her to make even greater strides in tennis, which will also attract more global attention."

Chinese tennis star Zheng Qinwen waves as she holds her runner-up trophy after the women's singles final match of the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 9, 2024. Photo: VCG

Before the final, Zheng's sole loss in the round-robin stage was against world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, who was defeated by Gauff in the semifinals.

In the first set, both athletes displayed a high level of play, with Zheng winning 6-3. She took an early lead in the second set with a break and her first ace, but Gauff responded by quickening her baseline game and ultimately won the set 6-4. The match went into a decisive third set. During the tiebreak, Zheng trailed 0-6 but continued to fight, ultimately falling just short of the title.

On the WTA Finals stage, Zheng has displayed impressive focus. Although she lost to Sabalenka in the first round of the group stage, she quickly regained her form, defeating Elena Rybakina, whom she had never beaten before, as well as Wimbledon runner-up Jasmine Paolini. In the semifinals, Zheng went on to overcome Czech player Barbora Krejcikova.

Zheng's remarkable performance this season includes six final appearances across all four levels, with three titles and three runner-up finishes. She has compiled an impressive 50-18 record, making her the first Chinese player in the Open era to achieve 50 tour wins in a single season. She will finish the year at a career-high ranking, debuting in the Top 5 at No. 5.

On China's X-like platform Sina Weibo, the hashtag celebrating Zheng's WTA Finals performance has been viewed over 48 million times, attracting around 17,000 comments as of 12 pm on Sunday, with many netizens cheering her on.

"Zheng Qinwen is amazing! Reaching the finals in her first appearance is such an achievement," one Weibo user posted.

"Although it's a pity that she didn't win due to her fitness in the third set, she's already gone so far and achieved a huge career breakthrough. It was an intense match and she's worked so hard," read another Weibo comment.