Patience doesn’t come easily to China’s woman on a mission, Zheng Qinwen.
Sharing a dogged approach commonplace among many her age, success just can’t arrive quickly enough.
BONUS: Download your copy of the Australian Open 2024 Official Program
As the WTA Newcomer of the Year two years ago and the WTA Most Improved in 2023, the 21-year-old can hardly be considered a slow climber, much less an underachiever.
Trying to convince the world No.15 as much is not so straight-forward.
A maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal at Flushing Meadows last September, a run in which she downed 2022 finalist and fifth seed Ons Jabeur, unlocked a belief that became the foundation to a run of hardcourt triumphs at home to end the year.
“I'm so happy to [have] won all those tournaments in China, especially in front of all my people,” Zheng said.
“But actually, I feel it [came] a little bit slow. I remember at the beginning of 2023 I say I will make top 10, but after my one year passed, I was 15 of the world. So it's a little bit slow than what I expect from myself.”
That late-season push gave Chinese tennis fans plenty to be optimistic about.
Zheng claimed a gold medal at the Asian Games at compatriot Zhu Lin’s expense to all but secure a place at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
She collected her second tour-level trophy of the season – her first at home and biggest of her young career – at the WTA 500 Zhengzhou Open over Barbora Krejcikova.
A week later, Beatriz Haddad Maia ended her eight-match winning streak at the WTA Elite Trophy in Zhuhai.
“I really think that I [could have] done much better than that, but in the same time, I just say before I don't want to give myself too much pressure,” Zheng said.
“I want to enjoy, because after this year [2023] finally I realise when you start to enjoy tennis, when you start to enjoy what you are doing, when you are focused in the moment, on court also in life, you can performance the best of yourself.
“So right now I just keeping telling myself the target is there, but I need to watch out my steps and take good every single step and live in the moment.”
It was a marked shift in attitude from a year ago, when only a top-10 finish to the season was considered sufficient.
A season of growth on and off the court included a return to coach Pere Riba, a welcome dose of stability as she grappled with a soaring profile in China.
A fourth-round debut at Melbourne Park is within reach should she deny 94th-ranked compatriot Wang Yafan, a three-set winner over Emma Raducanu, in the pair’s Rod Laver Arena debut on Saturday.
MORE: AO 2024 women's singles draw
A nerve-riddled exit against Aryna Sabalenka at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York has only readied her for her next outing on the big stage.
“When I arrive in the quarterfinal in US Open, actually everybody say before the match, they look at my face and I am nervous,” Zheng said.
“Actually, I am. When I play against Sabalenka last time, I couldn't perform my tennis on court. That was the originally first time to play in such a big stadium in US Open.
“I learn a lot from that match, especially the loss against her make me trying to develop more my game, trying to catch up the tennis of them.
“Right now I come here, and I had more experience than before, for sure. Let's see what will happen this tournament.”