tm🇿🇼🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Qinwen Zheng tries to keep her distance from the other women on tour because it would be difficult for her to compete against a friend, ‘I decided don't try to make a friend on tour because there's so many people outside of the tennis world.. I come here to compete with them, to win the match’ “Do you have amongst the players good friends? Do you prefer to keep your distance because they're your rivals?” Qinwen: “My answer is very clear: I prefer always to keep the distance with the player. Has a lot of competition with me. I am, like, the sensitive type with my heart. I don't feel if I become friends with someone and I have to compete with them on court, I feel I'm not able to 100% focus and fight. When I have to scream, ‘C'mon,’ I'm not able to do that because I will feel a bit weird. In my heart, I feel if it's a friend, I really want she win or she feels good in her life. This is the opposite side of a tennis tournament. Once I figure out that, I decided don't try to make a friend on tour because there's so many people outside of the tennis world. Why I have to just make friends here? I come here to compete with them, to win the match. Yeah, that's my opinion (smiling).” “How have you been with the other seven players here over the last few days?” Qinwen: “We are just saying hello. Sometimes say congrats to your great season. No more talk with no more people. I never go for more. I don't try to go for more, as well, yeah.” (via WTA Finals Riyadh Press)