Zheng Qinwen admits that her new-found fame since winning Olympic gold has made life in China so challenging that she takes measures to shun the sudden attention.
Zheng became the first Chinese player to capture an Olympic singles gold in Paris four weeks ago, an achievement which brought her legions of new fans.
“After the Olympic Games, everybody in China start to know me,” said Zheng, who first burst into her nation’s sporting consciousness after making the Australian Open final in January.
“After the Australian Open, it was maybe more the tennis fans, they know me.
“But when I come back to the street now in China, I have to put on my cap because if one person recognises me, there will be a lot of people come to ask my signature.”
Zheng’s profile will rocket even higher after she reached the US Open last 16 for the second successive season on Friday with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Germany’s Jule Niemeier.
The 21-year-old said she accepted that as a public figure, the demands on her time will be become even more exhausting.
She got a taste of that after her Paris Olympic triumph.
“At the airport I was there 1 o’clock, one hour signing because of all the Chinese people. I can’t reject them because it’s kids.
“Yeah, it’s a lot of attention. I realise I have to behave correctly, more responsibly. Of course, it’s pressure, but also it’s a chance for me to become a better player,” she added.
Zheng has cut a formidable presence in New York where she has unleashed a tournament-leading 39 aces over three rounds.
That raw power is a key weapon for a player who is desperate to secure a maiden Grand Slam title as well as a place in the season-ending WTA Finals.
After suffering a first round exit at Wimbledon to 123rd-ranked Lulu Sun, the Chinese star went on a 12-match winning streak which took in a successful defence of her Palermo title and Olympic gold.
Zheng put that success down to a new mature attitude on court which deserted her during a lean spell between the Australian Open and Paris.
“After the Australian Open, I let so many chances slip away from my hands. There’s a lot of 1000 tournaments where I can take a lot of points, but I didn’t make it,” she said.
“So right now I feel the pressure behind me because I really want to play the WTA Finals for my first time. Right now I’m just going to fight for every single match.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a big tournament, small tournament, I will give my best in every match.”
Zheng could meet Donna Vekic, the Croatian player she defeated in the Olympic final, for a quarter-final spot in New York.
Vekic was taking on Peyton Stearns of the United States in her third round clash later Friday.
dj/bb
