Qinwen Zheng and her intimidating demeanor have visited competitors’ doorsteps plenty this summer. First came her Paris Olympics beef with American rival Emma Navarro who labelled the gold medalist ‘cut-throat’. More often than always, assessed as a ‘salty’, Qinwen has finally earned credible remarks from fans after showcasing a strong character following a heartbreaking loss to Coco Gauff at the WTA Finals.

What was a three-set blockbuster in Riyadh, young talent Gauff rallied past the Chinese star to lift her maiden WTA Finals crown. Despite starring down a barrel after enduring a set-down deficit and two break point scares in the decider, the 20-year-old maintained her composure to down Qinwen in a three-hour affair with a score of 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(4). Later, she cashed in on the biggest check in the history of the WTA; she walked away with $4.8M, leaving Qinwen with a tidy $2.5M. However, what amazed fans was the Chinese player’s attitude during the customary trophy presentation ceremony.

The 22-year-old was seemingly unfazed by the tough loss and, unlike others who would rather keep their heads down to swallow their hard luck, Qinwen delivered on her ‘ruggedness’ in a stellar fashion. This, in turn, drew a healthy response from fans after clips of her ‘modeling-like-pose’ swarmed social media platforms.

Qinwen Zheng leaves fans amused with WTA Finals aftermath vibe

Seeing Qinwen Zheng finesse her modeling aesthetic in the background of Coco Guaff‘s celebration with her WTA Finals title, one fan declared the Chinese star “a model”. Another fan amusingly highlighted that all players should emulate her demeanor after sustaining a tough loss as such saying: “This how players should be seething after they lose I love it”. One user explained that “this is how she deals with all her losses”, which wasn’t a complete misrepresentation.

On several occasions, Qinwen has expressed keeping her distance from competitors on the tour. Hoping to avoid making friends, and expressly stating her reasons for such measures, the Chinese star has found a unique way to cope with the wicked world of tennis. She iterated her stance on the subject once again at a post-presser at the Riyadh event, outlining that she doesn’t try to make friends on tour because she’s there to “compete with them, to win the match.”

Amazed by her model-like showing in Riyadh, one fan noted that Qinwen “has such an og villainess kind of vibe”. To much amazement, another fan highlighted something otherwise: “Sorry haters. I love her.”

Apart from being marked as ‘cut-throat’ by Emma Navarro, the Chinese superstar kicked the barrel down the road by issuing a strong response to the American player’s remarks saying she “will not consider it an attack because (Navarro) lost the match.” Moreover, the seventh seed hasn’t received much support from her counterparts, with most in envy or criticism of how she goes about being a tennis player.

Regardless, such measures will hardly dent Qinwen’s demeanor. Although she may appear house-trained, her rivals know better than to be fooled by the facade. After a strong finish to the season, the Chinese player will next take to the court in 2025 at the Australian hardcourt swing.