Chinese tennis star Liu Fangzhou retires!

When mentioning Chinese tennis stars, most people probably first think of players with distinctive personalities and outstanding achievements like Li Na, Zheng Jie, and Zhang Shuai. Among the current professional Chinese players, Zheng Qinwen and Wang Xinyu are also highly representative figures.

Among them, Liu Fangzhou, born in December 1995, has not been very prominent. Recently, she announced during the Macau professional finals event that she will officially retire after this tournament, ending her professional career.

Actually, 30 years old is not particularly old for a professional athlete; many players over 30 still perform well in doubles and even singles on the current tennis circuit. However, Liu Fangzhou’s retirement is forced by a severe leg injury. After evaluation by medical experts, continuing her career would require surgery, and the operation cannot guarantee a full recovery to normal condition.

After weighing the pros and cons, Liu Fangzhou had to choose to retire. Regarding her future plans, she said her short-term goal is to travel around the world, and her long-term ambition is to transition into a tennis coach and continue working in the sport.

Compared to other players from her generation, Liu Fangzhou’s overall performance on the international stage was not particularly outstanding. Her highest singles ranking was only No. 127, never breaking into the top 100. This is also reflected in her Grand Slam record: she played 17 Grand Slam qualifying tournaments, often reaching the final qualifying round but never appearing in the main draw.

Nevertheless, Liu Fangzhou has left behind some memorable matches in her professional career. In 2014, at just 18 years old, she reached the final of the Nanchang WTA 125K event by defeating players like Zheng Jie and Kumkhum, though she ultimately lost to her compatriot Beibei to finish runner-up.

She also secured wins against prominent players, including victories over Krejcikova in the 2015 Australian Open qualifiers, Sabalenka in the 2017 Australian Open qualifiers, and Andreescu in the 2017 US Open qualifiers. Notably, Liu Fangzhou defeated Zheng Qinwen at the 2021 National Games.

In contrast to her modest international results, Liu Fangzhou thrived in domestic competitions, winning the national singles championship seven times—in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2024. Her impressive achievements earned her the nickname "Queen of the China Tour" among fans.

With Liu Fangzhou’s retirement, the number of Chinese tennis players retiring this year rises to three, following Bai Yan and Wang Qiang who also announced their retirements earlier. More veterans will likely bid farewell in the future! We look forward to these once-shining athletes continuing to shine on other life stages!

What impression of Liu Fangzhou stands out most to you? (Source: Tennis Home, Author: Barbie)