Zheng Qinwen shows off "a rhythm of her own" in December Vogue China spread

Last October, during a homecoming tour in Wuhan following a historic Olympic triumph, Zheng Qinwen became the first athlete, male or female, to grace the cover of *Vogue China*'s cover in her home country.

How do you top a historic spread? By upping the ante.

Zheng's latest appearance in the December issue sees her pose for not one, but multiple, cover variants styled in fashion-forward looks: an oversized green blazer, wide-legged brown khaki pants, a collared floral shirt dress, and more.

Read more: Zheng Qinwen guest edits 'W' magazine in China: 'Challenge accepted'

In addition to her style, Zheng also shows off a silly side in the glossy pages.

She uses pumpkins as dumbbells, smiles with candy rings, strikes a pose with a karaoke microphone, and volleys bubbles from a bathtub while holding a giant tennis racquet.

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But despite the whimsy shown, Zheng speaks seriously in the accompanying feature interview, titled "A Rhythm of Her Own."

After right elbow surgery sidelined her for almost the duration of 2025 following Wimbledon, the always-busy Zheng was forced to slow down and prioritize her healing. Her first major injury helped the 23-year-old that "slow is fast," according to the magazine, and this new perspective is helping her build a "high-rise of life,"

"A good professional player should know how to arrange their life," she says. "Before reaching adulthood, your life is arranged for you, and you just need to follow the fixed path. After becoming an adult, once you know what you have chosen, you should take action for your choice: which competitions to participate in and how to allocate your time and energy.”

Despite her playing hiatus, Zheng's star hasn't dimmed off the court. According to sports business publication Sportico, she made $19 million in endorsements this past season, ranking her as the fifth-highest paid female athlete in the word.