BEIJING (AP) — Zheng Qinwen secured her first title in two years by defeating French Open champion Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 in the China Open final on Sunday. Zheng won the match on her first match point, delivering an ace to Andreeva’s backhand, and collapsed to the court in tears of joy.
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Zheng's ranking suffered dramatically due to an elbow injury, falling from a career-high No. 4 last year to No. 160 this season. Entering the tournament as a wild card ranked No. 54, she is now projected to return to the top 30, according to the WTA.
“I’ve been through a very tough year,” Zheng stated in English during the trophy presentation, where she also sang a pop song to enthusiastic cheers from the audience.
In 2024, Zheng had a standout performance, reaching the finals of the Australian Open, winning the Paris Olympics singles title at Roland Garros, and securing her fifth career WTA title in Japan in October. At the U.S. Open in August, she showcased her comeback by reaching the quarterfinals, reversing two matches where she trailed 5-0, overcoming Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek.
Despite her loss, Andreeva is poised to attain a career-high No. 3 rank. She led in the first set at 5-4 and had three chances to win it but Zheng's comeback included 11 consecutive points, which helped her clinch the first set. “For sure today she played great,” Andreeva commented about Zheng. “It’s also very nice to see her playing better and coming back.”