Qinwen Zheng beats Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 to win China Open in Beijing
Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng defeated Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 to win the China Open title in Beijing on Sunday. The 24-year-old became the first Chinese player to lift the tournament trophy since it began in 2004 and claimed her first title in nearly two years and her maiden WTA 1000 crown.
Zheng’s victory capped a comeback from a persistent right elbow injury that required surgery in 2025 and disrupted much of her career. Having once climbed to world No. 4, the Paris 2024 Olympic gold medallist saw her ranking tumble as she struggled to regain fitness and match form. Her return to top-level competition began with an extraordinary run at the US Open, where she fought through qualifying before reaching the quarter-finals. That New York campaign included overturning a 0-5 deficit in a deciding set against Madison Keys and recovering from 0-5 down in the opening set to defeat Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3.
Standing between Zheng and a home triumph was Mirra Andreeva, the French Open champion and one of the brightest young stars on the WTA Tour, listed as the fifth-ranked Russian in the draw. Zheng rose to the occasion, using her powerful forehand and aggressive baseline game to dictate rallies against Andreeva. The final tested both players’ nerves from the outset as they traded momentum on serve.
The opening set featured several momentum swings: the pair exchanged breaks before Andreeva moved ahead 5-4 and appeared to be taking control. Zheng saved three break points to level the set and then capitalised on her opponent’s errors to secure the set 7-5. Securing the first set shifted pressure back onto Andreeva.
Zheng maintained her composure in the second set and would not allow a comeback. With the score tied at 4-4 she earned a crucial break and then served out the match. She sealed victory by hitting an ace on her first match point.
History sealed with an ace from Zheng Qinwen! #ChinaOpen https://t.co/U9tSRpv7KN— wta (@WTA) October 11, 2026
The title rewarded a period of uncertainty for Zheng after months of physical pain and a dramatic fall in the rankings. Her decision to rebuild through competition rather than accept a wildcard or protected ranking at the US Open underlined the route she chose to regain form.
In front of an emotional home crowd, Zheng turned a long-awaited comeback into a historic triumph, reclaiming her place among the sport’s leading players and giving Chinese tennis a moment to cherish.