Zheng Qinwen Makes History With China Open Triumph Over Andreeva

Posted : 12 October 2026

China's Zheng Qinwen captured the China Open title on Sunday, defeating Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 to become the first Chinese player to win the tournament since its establishment in 2004.

The Olympic champion entered the Beijing competition as a wildcard after struggling with fitness and form following elbow surgery in 2025. Ranked 54th in the world at the time, Zheng delivered a determined performance to claim her first title in nearly two years, breaking down in tears as she celebrated the victory on court.

Speaking during the trophy presentation, Zheng described winning in front of her home supporters as a lifelong ambition fulfilled. She also reflected on the difficult period she had endured, acknowledging the challenges she faced throughout the year.

The 24-year-old congratulated Andreeva on her French Open success earlier in the season before celebrating with the home crowd, including singing a song about pursuing the light of dreams.

Despite her lower ranking, Zheng showed resilience against the world No. 5, who began the final with greater consistency. The pair engaged in lengthy baseline exchanges, but the Chinese star recovered from an early break to remain competitive in the opening set.

Andreeva had opportunities to take the first set, but Zheng saved three set points to level the score at 5-5. She then won every remaining point in the set, sealing it with an ace to take a crucial advantage.

The atmosphere in Beijing reflected the home crowd's determination to see Zheng lift the trophy. At times, spectators cheered before points had ended and shouted encouragement during serves, but both players maintained their concentration as the contest progressed.

The second set remained closely fought until Zheng found her breakthrough in the ninth game. She produced an accurate shot near the line to break Andreeva's serve and take a 5-4 lead, moving within one game of the championship.

A double fault briefly threatened to complicate the finish, but Zheng recovered immediately, firing an ace to convert her first match point and secure the title in straight sets.

The triumph marked Zheng's first championship since defeating Sofia Kenin in Tokyo in October 2024 and her maiden WTA 1000 title. It also improved her head-to-head record against Andreeva to two wins from two meetings, following their previous encounter at the 2024 China Open.

Andreeva, competing in her first China Open final, took positives from her run despite falling short of the title. The Russian teenager was also projected to climb to a career-high world No. 3 in the rankings following her performance in Beijing.

Zheng Qinwen Makes History With China Open Triumph Over Andreeva

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