CHINA’S Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen and tennis star Wang Xinyu, a Shenzhen native, are set to compete in the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup Finals, which will be held at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center this September. Team lineups were announced Monday, with world No. 6 Zheng leading host nation China in the eight-team tournament scheduled from Sept. 16 to 21. The competition features a star-studded roster, including five current or former WTA top-10 players — Zheng Qinwen, Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Jasmine Paolini, and Paula Badosa. China will kick off the tournament Sept. 16 against defending champion Italy. Zheng will be supported by teammates Wang Xinyu, Yuan Yue, Zhang Shuai, and Jiang Xinyu, with Liu Feng serving as team captain. Italy’s squad includes world No. 9 Jasmine Paolini and veteran Sara Errani. Zheng made history last year at the age of 21 by becoming the first Chinese and Asian player to win Olympic gold in tennis singles, defeating Croatia’s Donna Vekic in the Paris final. Her remarkable success in a sport traditionally dominated by Western athletes has positioned her as a confident and dynamic ambassador for Chinese youth on the global stage. Wang, a rising star from Shenzhen, captured the women’s doubles title at the 2023 French Open, becoming the city’s first Grand Slam champion. The same year, she reached the round of 16 in the U.S. Open singles — her best performance at a Grand Slam to date. A year later at Wimbledon, Wang again advanced to the women’s singles last 16, standing out as the most successful Chinese player among the 11 who appeared in the main draw. (Tang Li) | 