Zheng Qinwen Beats Mirra Andreeva To Become First Home Player To Win China Open

Zheng Qinwen became the first home winner of the China Open on Sunday.© AFP

Zheng Qinwen became the first home winner of the China Open on Sunday as she beat Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4. The former world number four and current Olympic champion was a wildcard entry in Beijing, having struggled with form and fitness following elbow surgery in 2025. It was the 54th-ranked Zheng's first title in nearly two years, and tears filled her eyes as she fell to the court in celebration. "The feeling was incredible to win here in Beijing... in front of my home crowd is one of my dreams," she said during the trophy ceremony.

"I've been through a very, very tough year," she added.

She congratulated Andreeva on her French Open title earlier this year before serenading the crowd with a song about chasing the "light of dreams".

Zheng, 24, is the first Chinese player to win the prestigious tournament since its inception in 2004.

Andreeva, ranked fifth in the world, was the more consistent player early on, but Zheng pulled back a break and stayed with her 19-year-old opponent as they battled from the baseline.

Zheng saved three set points to level at 5-5 and won every point thereafter, serving an ace to take the first set.

A crowd desperate to see their homegrown talent crowned champion was at times disruptive, as cheers erupted before points had ended and shouts for Zheng punctuated serves on both sides of the net.

But the players kept their focus, holding serve until Zheng found a way through in the ninth game of the second set, firing a brilliant shot down the line to break and move ahead 5-4.

A double-fault threatened to derail an imminent triumph, but Zheng responded with an ace to seal victory on her first match point.

It is Zheng's first trophy since October 2024, when she beat Sofia Kenin in Tokyo, and her first title at WTA 1000 level.

The players' only previous meeting came in the 2024 China Open quarter-finals, where Zheng defeated Andreeva in three sets.

Andreeva, playing in her first China Open final, said it had been "a very nice week" despite falling just short.

"I love playing in Beijing, so of course I had a very, very nice time."

With her run to the final, Andreeva is set to rise to a career-high world No. 3 in the rankings.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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