Australian Open runner-up Zheng Qinwen will kick off her 2025 season at the grand slam next month, after deciding to skip the United Cup mixed team tournament starting this week.

Beaten in the final of the year’s first major by Aryna Sabalenka in January, the 22-year-old otherwise enjoyed a successful campaign, claiming the Paris Olympics gold medal and WTA Tour titles in Tokyo and Palermo.

Zheng, who was runner-up at the Wuhan Open and the WTA Finals, played 68 matches in the 2024 season, and in an Instagram post on Sunday said she needed “a few extra weeks of rest, recovery, and good training to get ready for the new season”.

“I had such a fantastic time at the United Cup in January of this year, and therefore will miss the event greatly,” Zheng added. “Still, I’m so excited to be back in Australia soon and I will see you all in Melbourne in a couple of weeks.”

China start their campaign in the United Cup in Perth, which runs from December 27 to January 5, against Brazil on Friday with Gao Xinyu as their number one women’s player.

Zhang Zhizhen, who spent the past week training in Hong Kong, was planning to fly to Australia on Sunday to join up with the squad as the top men’s player. The pair will be joined by women’s doubles specialist Zhang Shuai, and Bai Yan and Sun Fajing on the men’s side.