Chinese tennis star Qinwen Zheng’s French Open campaign came to an unexpected end due to menstrual pain and a leg injury. She also took a medical timeout in the second set due to menstruation. Despite this, she had to face defeat against world number one Inga Swiatek of Poland. With this, the Chinese star’s dream of becoming the French Open champion was shattered.
A surprise victory was awaited from 19-year-old Qinwen Zheng as she took the first set 7-6. Inga Sviatec had lost a set for the first time in a month. Zheng landed on the court of medical timeout, but she was not able to show agility. This led them to a 6–7, 6–0 and 6–2 loss against Inga Sviatec. So far, only one female player from China has won the French Open title. China’s Li Na won the French Open title in the 2011 final by defeating Italy’s Francesca Sivanone 6-4, 7-6(7-0).
He had no pain during the opening set, but took medical time out to strap the injured right leg, according to CNN. She was trailing 0-3 at that time. Zheng, world number 74, told reporters after the match, ‘Yes, the leg was very tight, but the pain was tolerable against the stomach…. I could not play my game, my stomach was hurting a lot.’
Referring to the menstrual pain, Zheng said, ‘You know… it’s only girls’ stuff. The first day is always very tough and then I have to play. I always have a lot of pain on the first day. I could not go against my nature. She said, ‘I wish I could be a man on the court, but I can’t at that moment… I really wish I could be a man so that I didn’t have to go through the pain of it.’
Saying that she enjoyed playing against Swiatec, Zheng said, ‘If I didn’t have stomach pains, I think I could have enjoyed it more. As such, running better and hitting harder could put more effort on the court. It’s a pity that I couldn’t perform the way I wanted to do today. All I want is to be in perfect shape the next time I play against Sviatec.
According to Dr. Archana Sukumaran of Kerala Ayurveda Ltd., menstrual pain or cramping is medically known as dysmenorrhea, which peaks during the first two days of menstruation. It may be associated with nausea, vomiting, back pain, indigestion, and insomnia.
To prevent menstrual cramps, Dr. Archana Sukumaran suggested the following.
Do not compromise on your sleep. Use a heating pad for better relief. Drink plenty of water. Reduce sodium intake. Avoid excessive consumption of caffeine. Eat hot, well-cooked meals. On food cravings Take control. Avoid using scented products there.
Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar also shared dietary tips for women during periods. Take a look at them.
A week before your period, start the day with soaked raisins and saffron. Include legumes (sprouted and ripe) in your diet every other day. Eat tuberous vegetables like zucchini, sweet potatoes etc. at least twice a week Take a calcium supplement (calcium citrate) every night before bed.