Zheng Beats Andreeva for Beijing Title

Zheng Qinwen of China beat Mirra Andreeva of Russia, the No. 4 seed, 7⁠–⁠5, 6⁠–⁠4 in the final of the China Open in Beijing on Sunday, 11 October (WTA; ESPN; Tennis.com). The China Open is one of the women's tour's WTA 1000 events, the top level below the four Grand Slam tournaments.

The WTA said she is the first Chinese woman to win the tournament; no Chinese player had won it since it joined the women's tour in 2004 (WTA). She was also the first Chinese player to reach the final there, after Chinese players had lost all seven of their previous semi-finals (WTA).

The final began at 7:35 p.m. in Beijing, which was 7:35 a.m. ET, and lasted 1 hour 43 minutes (ESPN; WTA).

The two players traded breaks of serve early, a break being a game won by the player receiving, and Andreeva then went 5⁠–⁠4 ahead (Sky Sports). With Zheng serving at 4⁠–⁠5, Andreeva had three set points, points that would have won her the set, and Zheng saved all three (WTA; Sky Sports). From there Zheng won the last 11 points of the set, breaking Andreeva's serve with a backhand to lead 6⁠–⁠5 and then taking it 7⁠–⁠5 (WTA; Sky Sports).

With the second set at 4⁠–⁠4, Andreeva saved three break points, chances for Zheng to win a game on Andreeva's serve, before Zheng broke through, then served out the match in the next game, hitting an ace, a serve her opponent could not touch, along the way (Sky Sports; WTA).

It is Zheng's first WTA 1000 title and the sixth title of her career on the tour, and her first title since Tokyo in late 2024 (WTA). It was her 14th career win over a player in the world's top ten, and her third this season (WTA). The champion receives $1,151,380 in prize money and 1,000 ranking points; Andreeva, as runner-up, takes $612,340 and 650 points (WTA).

Zheng, 24, won the Olympic gold medal in 2024 and is a former world No. 4, but she is now ranked 54th (SCMP; WTA). Sky Sports said she had missed nearly six months with an injury to the elbow of her right arm, the one she plays with. The WTA said she was ranked 160th in mid-June, and before the final it projected her return to the top 30 (WTA).

She entered as a wildcard, meaning the organisers gave her a place in the draw. She beat Shi Han of China 7⁠–⁠6(6), 4⁠–⁠6, 6⁠–⁠2, then Anna Kalinskaya, the No. 15 seed, who retired, meaning she stopped playing, while trailing 3⁠–⁠0 in the third set (WTA). She beat Marie Bouzková, the No. 18 seed, 7⁠–⁠6(3), 4⁠–⁠6, 7⁠–⁠5 and Alina Charaeva 6⁠–⁠1, 2⁠–⁠6, 6⁠–⁠4 (WTA; ESPN). She then beat Elina Svitolina, the No. 6 seed, 6⁠–⁠3, 7⁠–⁠6(6) in the quarter-finals and Elise Mertens of Belgium, the No. 13 seed, 7⁠–⁠5, 6⁠–⁠2 in Saturday's semi-final (WTA; ESPN). Before the final she had spent 13 hours and 33 minutes on court, the most by any player at a single tour event this season, according to the WTA.

"I'm always proud to play in front of my home crowd," Zheng said on Saturday, before the final. "In a way it's a pressure, but in the same time it gives me motivation" (WTA).

Andreeva, 19, won the French Open this year (WTA). She had a bye, a free pass into the second round, then beat Yuan Yue, Polina Kudermetova and Daria Snigur before beating Ekaterina Alexandrova, the No. 19 seed, 7⁠–⁠6(4), 7⁠–⁠6(3), and Nikola Bartůňková 6⁠–⁠2, 6⁠–⁠2 (WTA). It was her fifth final of 2026, after titles at the French Open, Adelaide and Linz and a defeat in Madrid (WTA). Zheng had also won their only previous meeting, a Beijing quarter-final in 2024 (WTA).

The WTA said Andreeva is expected to rise to No. 3 in the world rankings on Monday (WTA). She has already qualified for the WTA Finals, the season-ending event for the year's eight best players, at Indian Wells (WTA).

Both players go next to the Wuhan Open, the last WTA 1000 event of the season, which runs from 12 to 18 October (WTA). Andreeva is the No. 3 seed and has a bye; ESPN lists her first match for Wednesday, 14 October (WTA; ESPN). Zheng, who reached the Wuhan final in 2024, plays Ann Li of the United States in the first round, which ESPN lists for Tuesday, 13 October; the winner plays Aryna Sabalenka, the top seed (WTA; ESPN).