Zheng beats Andreeva to become first home player to win China Open

Beijing witnessed a historic moment as Zheng Qinwen claimed the China Open title, becoming the first home winner of the prestigious tournament. The 24-year-old, currently ranked 54th, defeated Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 in a thrilling match at the Beijing venue. Zheng, who has been dealing with form and fitness issues since undergoing elbow surgery in 2025, had never won a title in nearly two years until this triumph.

Tears streamed down her face as she celebrated on the court, overwhelmed by the emotional victory in front of her home crowd. "The feeling was incredible to win here in Beijing... in front of my home crowd is one of my dreams," she expressed during the trophy presentation. Reflecting on her challenging year, Zheng congratulated Andreeva on her recent French Open victory before serenading the thrilled audience with a song about following her dreams.

Ranked fifth, Andreeva started strong, but Zheng managed to level the score at 5-5 and went on to dominate the remainder of the match. After saving three set points, Zheng clinched the first set by winning the decisive point with an ace. Throughout the match, the crowd's enthusiasm was palpable, alternately urging Zheng and cheering as points progressed.

Zheng's emotional win marked her first title since October 2024, when she defeated Sofia Kenin in Tokyo. This victory also represented her maiden WTA 1000-level title. Their previous encounter was in the 2024 China Open quarter-finals, where Zheng again emerged victorious. Andreeva, competing in her first China Open final, appreciated the experience saying, "It was a very nice week...

I love playing in Beijing, so of course, had a very, very nice time." Following this grueling match, Andreeva is poised to climb to a career-high ranking of third.