Qinwen Zheng stopped mid-match to change her shoes due to issues with her Nike tennis shoes.
## What happened?
The problems occurred during two consecutive matches at the HSBC Championships in London.
Qinwen Zheng explained that she couldn't concentrate on playing because she was worried about her shoes.
She noticed something was wrong but didn't realize the sole had come unglued until the third set.
## Why it matters for Qinwen Zheng
Qinwen Zheng revealed that Nike hadn't supplied her with new grass court shoes, so she used an old pair from her junior days.
The shoes caused her to slip multiple times, and she had to switch to another pair during the match.
Qinwen Zheng blamed the shoes for her loss, saying they weren't suitable for her.
## What comes next?
Despite the issues, Qinwen Zheng reached her first-ever semifinals in a grass-court tournament and achieved a career-high ranking of World No. 4 in the WTA Rankings as of this week.
She faces former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the first round of the Berlin Open.
Qinwen Zheng currently has a record of 19-10 with zero titles this season.
Her performance has been closely watched, given her status as the face of Nike Tennis in China.
Qinwen Zheng has starred in global marketing campaigns for Nike and launched her own apparel collection in Asian markets.
The Berlin Open match against Elena Rybakina will be a key test for Qinwen Zheng.
She will need to adapt to the grass courts and find a solution to her shoe issues.
Qinwen Zheng's fans are eagerly awaiting her next move.
The outcome of the Berlin Open will be crucial in determining Qinwen Zheng's ranking and her chances in future tournaments.