Two-time Olympic champion Zheng defeats Andreeva to win China Open final, capturing her first title in two years
Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen won her first title in two years on Sunday, beating French Open champion Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 in the China Open final in Beijing.
Zheng clinched the match with her first match point, serving an ace to Andreeva’s backhand side. She then fell to the court, sobbing with emotion.
A Difficult Year Ends in Triumph
Zheng’s ranking had plummeted because of an elbow injury, from a career-high No. 4 last year to No. 160 this season. She entered her home tournament as a wild card ranked No. 54. With this result, she will return to the top 30, the WTA said.
“I’ve been through a very tough year,” Zheng said in English during the trophy presentation, which had a touch of karaoke. She sang a pop song to roars of appreciation from the fans in the arena.
Strong Form Returns
Zheng had a stellar 2024. She reached the final of the Australian Open, won the singles title at the Paris Olympics at Roland Garros, and in October claimed her fifth career WTA title in Japan.
As a qualifier at the U.S. Open in August, she showed her old form was back by reaching the quarterfinals. She twice rallied from 5-0 deficits to win her matches against Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek.
Andreeva Still Gains Ground
Despite the loss, Andreeva is set to rise to a career-high No. 3 in the rankings. She held three set points in the first set on Sunday while leading 5-4, but Zheng then reeled off 11 straight points to take the set.
“For sure today she played great,” Andreeva said of Zheng. “It’s also very nice to see her playing better and coming back.”