By user7576211892670015264 Zheng Qinwen won her first title in two years by beating French Open champion Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 in the China Open final in Beijing on Sunday.
Zheng clinched the match on her first match point, serving an ace to Andreeva’s backhand side. She then fell to the court sobbing with emotion.
A Long Road Back
An elbow injury sent Zheng’s ranking plummeting 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. Following this title, she will return to the top 30, the WTA said.
“I’ve been through a very tough year,” Zheng said in English during a trophy presentation that had a touch of karaoke. She sang a pop song to roars of appreciation from the crowd in the arena.
Strong Form Before the Injury
Zheng had a standout 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.
She showed her old form was back at the U.S. Open in August. Competing as a qualifier, she advanced to the quarterfinals after twice rallying from 5-0 deficits in matches she won against Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek.
Andreeva Still Set to Climb
Despite the loss, Andreeva is set to rise to a career-high No. 3 ranking. She held three set points in the first set on Sunday, leading 5-4, before Zheng won 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.”