Qinwen Zheng, the Olympic champion at 24 years old, made history on the Diamond Court in Beijing by becoming the first player from China to win the home tournament. She achieved this remarkable feat with a straight-sets victory over fourth-seed Mirra Andreeva, finishing the match 7-5, 6-4.
Zheng’s success is particularly significant as she entered the WTA 1000 tournament as a wildcard, ranked 54th in the world at the competition’s start.
Drama Unfolds in the Final
The final was filled with tension right from the outset. Andreeva broke early in both sets, leading 2-0. In the first set, the Russian player served with a 5-4 lead and had three set points in the tenth game. However, Zheng saved all three and unleashed a stunning series of 11 consecutive points to clinch the first set 7-5.
In the second set, after a balanced exchange of breaks, Zheng secured a crucial break in the ninth game at 4-4 and served for the match. She concluded the contest, lasting 1 hour and 43 minutes, with an ace to her opponent’s backhand, collapsing on the court in emotion.
This victory marks Zheng’s sixth career title and her first at the WTA 1000 level. It also signifies her return to form after a challenging period, which included elbow surgery in July 2025 and a drop in ranking to 160th earlier this year.
With her triumph in Beijing, Zheng has moved up 31 spots in the WTA rankings, now sitting at 23rd. Meanwhile, despite the loss, Mirra Andreeva ascends to the third position in the world, becoming the third youngest player of this century to reach the top three, following Maria Sharapova and Kim Clijsters.
During the awards ceremony, Zheng celebrated with the 15,000 fans by performing karaoke right on the court.
Reflecting on her internal struggles, the Chinese player stated, “I felt like I had forgotten how to compete after returning from injury. Ultimately, after so many losses, I found my inner fire again. When I was battling against my opponents, I was also fighting against myself.”
Andreeva acknowledged Zheng’s accomplishment, saying, “She played great today. We all know she has had a tough year, and it’s wonderful to see her playing better and making a comeback.”
