Qinwen Zheng Wins China Open, Makes History

Qinwen Zheng secured her first WTA 1000 title at the China Open, becoming the first Chinese woman to achieve this feat. The victory took place in Beijing on Sunday, where she faced fourth-seeded Mirra Andreeva of Russia.

Zheng won the match with a score of 7-5, 6-4, marking her first tournament win since her victory in Tokyo in late 2024. This win also marked her sixth overall win.

Zheng, who was ranked No. 54 in the world and entered the tournament as a wild card, had struggled much of the past year following elbow surgery. Despite these challenges, she demonstrated resilience and determination during the match.

In the first set, Zheng fought off three set points to even the match before running off eight consecutive points to take the first set. In the second set, she broke Andreeva's serve in the ninth game and served out the match on the first match point.

Zheng was the gold medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics and captured her 14th career win over a Top 10 opponent in one hour, 43 minutes.

Zheng expressed gratitude for finding her 'inside fire' again after a difficult period, emphasizing that tennis is not just about skill but also about passion and desire to win.