The United Cup has suffered a blow, with Chinese star Qinwen Zheng pulling the pin on her planned trip to Perth on the eve of the tournament.

Zheng, the Olympic gold medalist and runner-up at last year’s Australian Open, has withdrawn from the tournament, leaving the 5th-seeded China without their biggest star.

After playing in Perth at last year’s tournament, the women’s world No.5 was set to return to WA after the best season of her career.

But just five days out from the China’s first United Cup game, the 22 year-old has opted to pull out of the tournament, citing a need for more rest.

In a statement on Instagram, Zheng said she had made the difficult decision to push back her start to the season.

“After the long season that 2024 was for me, I need a few extra weeks of rest, recovery, and good training to get ready for the new season,” she said.

“I had such a fantastic time at the United Cup in January of this year, and therefore will miss the event greatly.