China’s Zheng Qinwen captured the China Open title on Sunday, defeating Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 to claim her first trophy in nearly two years.
The former world number four and reigning Olympic champion entered the Beijing tournament as a wildcard after struggling with form and fitness following elbow surgery in 2025.
Ranked 54th in the world, the 24-year-old became the first Chinese player to win the China Open since the tournament was established in 2004.
World number five Andreeva made the stronger start, displaying greater consistency in the opening stages. However, Zheng recovered a break and matched her 19-year-old opponent in a series of intense baseline exchanges.
Zheng showed remarkable composure in the first set, saving three set points to level the score at 5-5 before winning the next four points to take control. She sealed the set with an ace, putting herself within reach of the title.
The home crowd, eager to see a Chinese champion crowned, added to the intensity of the contest. Cheers sometimes erupted before points had ended, while shouts of support for Zheng punctuated serves on both sides of the net.
Despite the distractions, both players maintained their focus and held serve through the early stages of the second set. Zheng eventually broke through in the ninth game, producing a superb shot close to the line to take a 5-4 lead.
A double fault briefly threatened to delay her victory, but Zheng responded with an ace to convert her first match point and secure the championship.
The victory marks Zheng’s first title since October 2024, when she defeated Sofia Kenin in Tokyo. It is also her maiden WTA 1000 title, the highest category of tournament on the women’s tour outside the Grand Slams.
Zheng had previously faced Andreeva only once, defeating the Russian in three sets in the quarter-finals of the 2024 China Open.
Despite missing out on the trophy in her first China Open final, Andreeva described the tournament as “a very nice week.”
“I love playing in Beijing, so of course had a very, very nice time,” she said.
Andreeva’s run to the final is set to lift her to a career-high world ranking of number three.
AFP
