BEIJING (AP) — Zheng Qinwen triumphed at the China Open final on Sunday, claiming her first title in two years with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over French Open champion Mirra Andreeva. Zheng sealed the match with an ace, her first match point chance, and was visibly emotional as she fell to the court in tears.
Read More
After a difficult year caused by an elbow injury, Zheng's ranking dropped from a career-high No. 4 last year to 160 this season. Entering the tournament as a wild card ranked No. 54, she is now set to return to the top 30, according to the WTA.
“I’ve been through a very tough year,” Zheng said during her trophy presentation, also entertaining fans by singing a pop song.
Zheng's remarkable 2024 included reaching the Australian Open final, winning the singles title at the Paris Olympics, and earlier in October, capturing her fifth WTA tour title in Japan. She demonstrated her return to form at the U.S. Open in August by reaching the quarterfinals, having come back from 5-0 deficits in matches against Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek.
Andreeva, despite the defeat, is expected to rise to a career-high No. 3 ranking. She had opportunities to win the first set, leading 5-4, but Zheng managed to win 11 consecutive points to take the set. “For sure today she played great,” Andreeva said, acknowledging Zheng's strong performance and her comeback.