Qinwen Zheng has re-entered professional tennis competition in the Middle East after a series of injuries sidelined her from the US Open and Australian Open earlier this year. She marked her return at the Qatar Open, advancing to the round of 16 and challenging Elena Rybakina in a closely contested match. Speculation about her coaching situation followed when Zheng unfollowed her former coach, Spaniard Pere Riba, on social media, sparking rumors of a split.
Recently, Zheng has been seen training with a new coach at Indian Wells, signaling a fresh direction in her career as she prepares for upcoming tournaments.
New Coaching Collaboration: Qinwen Zheng and Marcos Baghdatis
Zheng has been working with Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis during her training at Indian Wells. According to Greek media outlet SDNA, this coaching relationship is described as new and tentative, with the potential for long-term collaboration depending on their performance in upcoming matches. Once ranked as high as fourth globally, Zheng is currently positioned outside the top 20, largely due to disruptions caused by injuries during the 2025 season.
Evaluating Baghdatis’ Experience and Coaching Background
Marcos Baghdatis transitioned to coaching after retiring in 2020, initially joining the team of Elina Svitolina. More recently, he has worked with Chinese player Yibing Wu, an ATP 500 titleholder and former top-60 ranked player. While Baghdatis does not have extensive coaching credentials at this stage, his own career was guided by esteemed coach Patrick Mouratoglou. Together, Baghdatis and Mouratoglou reached the Australian Open final, marking an early highlight in Mouratoglou’s coaching journey. Later, Mouratoglou coached Serena Williams to capture her last ten Grand Slam singles trophies.
Whether Baghdatis will reach similar coaching heights with Zheng remains to be seen, but both appear focused on starting their partnership strongly during the Indian Wells tournament.
Qinwen Zheng’s Path at Indian Wells and Competitive Outlook
At Indian Wells, Zheng has been granted a bye through the first round and will begin her campaign in round two. Her initial match will be against either Antonia Ruzic or the returning Jennifer Brady. As a former world number four, Zheng is favored to win her opening match and advance to face one of Karolina Muchova, Elsa Jacquemot, or Anna Bondar in the third round. Among these potential opponents, Muchova is expected to provide the stiffest competition.
The tournament becomes progressively challenging in later rounds, with former champion Iga Swiatek projected as a possible opponent in round four. If Zheng progresses beyond that, she could encounter defending Indian Wells champion Mirra Andreeva, Australian Open winner Elena Rybakina, or current world number one Aryna Sabalenka. Success in California will demand peak performance from Zheng at every stage.
Prospects for Zheng’s Performance and Coaching Impact
If Zheng and Baghdatis establish a strong working relationship, and if she can replicate the high level of play she demonstrated recently in Qatar, the 23-year-old player may emerge as a notable contender at Indian Wells. Her immediate focus remains on the upcoming second-round match against either Ruzic or Brady. This tournament will offer early indications of how effective her new coaching setup may be and could provide momentum for her efforts to return to the sport’s elite ranks.
“Together, Baghdatis and Mouratoglou reached the Australian Open final, as the Frenchman made his first steps into coaching.” ?Source
