Coach Pere Riba has nothing but positive words about Zheng Qinwen as a player and person and has dismissed their on-court arguments as something negative, saying it's just that the Chinese tennis star wants so badly to improve and win every time she steps on the court.
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After working together for two and a half years in their first stint, the two split in mid-2023 and that was when the 22-year-old hired Wim Fissette. If you remember well, that collaboration ended abruptly after the US Open and with the current world No. 7 accusing Fissette of just ditching her because Naomi Osaka contacted him and offered him a job.
While Zheng was furious over what happened to her in late 2023, it also left the doors for her to reunite with former Spanish tennis player Riba. Needless to say, their second stint has been a massive success as the Chinese made her first Grand Slam, WTA 1000, WTA Finals, and Olympics finals this year - she won the Paris Olympics, while she finished as runner-upat the Australian Open, Wuhan and the season-ending tournament.
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It should be mentioned that Zheng's runs at the Olympics at the WTA Finals were especially impressive, considering that she was making her debut in those major events.
But despite her outstanding year, Zheng can still be fiery at times, and that includes arguing with the 36-year-old coach.
She has a great heart. When you know her because you have to know the people she's an amazing person, she has a great heart. But of course, when she enters the court, me I have a lot of fights with her on court, because she is really ambitious. And me, also I want her to succeed. She is a really good tennis player because she has this character, this is the reason," Riba told The National.
"But sometimes, she has to control the emotions and she still is so young. But no doubt that she's an amazing person. And sometimes this behavior happens with all the players, because all the players want to win. Shes so young, and these small things that maybe the people can see its nothing. Because finally the person, the essence is really nice.
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Riba reveals his expectations for Zheng in 2025
Had the 22-year-old avoided playing Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open and Wuhan finals, maybe she would already have a Slam and a WTA 1000 title. While the Chinese has accomplished many great things this year, one thing she still hasn't figured out - beating the Belarusian as she lost four times to the Belarusian this year and has zero wins in their five meetings.
Coach Riba acknowledges that the competition at the top isn't easy but believes that his pupil can make a Slam breakthrough if she wants with the right work.
If she continues improving and given the way she is doing the things, me I'm optimistic, and of course, it's always complicated these goals, but she will arrive with realistic options to win a Grand Slam. It can happen or cannot happen, because many players are fighting for the same thing but she will arrive with the tennis and with the fitness and with all the things that she will be capable to do it," the Spanish coach said.
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When Zheng arrived in Riyadh, she sat on a career-high ranking of No. 7 in the world. Following her great WTA Finals run, she is set to break into the top-5 for the first time in her career and be ranked fifth on Monday.
Asked if he sees the Chinese contending for the top spot, coach Riba remarked that he believes the 22-year-old is currently at "60 percent of what she can be" and that ultimately she will be "one day there."
How Zheng feels about Riba?
In total, the two have worked for three and a half years. And since the Paris Olympics gold medalist sees the Spanish coach as someone who really wants to help her achieve her dreams and not just profit from working with her, it's not hard to figure out that the 22-year-old is extremely happy with Riba.
He always has lot of passion on tennis. This is important. He really wants to be a good coach. Not so many coaches on tour have this type of passion. Many coaches, they just consider this as a high prize job. But there are a few coaches on tour, they really love the tennis, they want their player to become the best, they want their player to improve every single day. I think he's this type of coach," Zheng said of her coach in Riyadh.
