Zheng Qinwen wins China Open title in Beijing on Sunday, beating Russia’s Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 in the final at the National Tennis Centre. The 24-year-old is the first home player to win the tournament since it began in 2004. She is also the first Chinese champion of the event, ending a wait that stretched across two decades.
Zheng arrived in Beijing as a wildcard, ranked 54th in the world after a long injury layoff. Few would have backed her to lift the biggest trophy of her career this week.
Zheng Qinwen wins China Open after saving three set points
Andreeva started the final as the steadier player. The 19-year-old, ranked fifth in the world, found her range early and broke serve. Zheng responded in kind. She recovered the break and settled into longer baseline exchanges.
The first set then turned on one game. Andreeva held three set points, and Zheng saved all three to level the score at 5-5. After that escape, the momentum shifted fully. Zheng won every remaining point in the set and closed it out with an ace.
The crowd played its part, at times too loudly. Some home fans cheered before points had ended, and others shouted during serves. Both players had to cope with the noise.
A break in the ninth game settles the second set
The second set followed serve for eight games. Then Zheng struck. She broke Andreeva in the ninth game with a shot that clipped the line, giving herself the chance to serve for the title at 5-4.
That service game brought one last scare. A double fault opened the door for Andreeva. Zheng shut it at once. She hit an ace on her first match point, then fell to the court in tears as the home crowd roared.
The win completes a week that built steadily. In the semi-finals, Zheng powered past Elina Svitolina. Andreeva reached the final by beating Ekaterina Alexandrova in her own semi-final, so Sunday brought the two form players together.
A first WTA 1000 title after a hard road back
This is Zheng’s first WTA 1000 title. It is also her first trophy in nearly two years. Her last title came in Tokyo in October 2024, when she beat Sofia Kenin in the final.
The gap between those titles tells the story of her past year. Zheng had elbow surgery in 2025. She retired from last year’s China Open in the third round because of the same elbow trouble. Results since her return had been poor, and her ranking fell from a career-best fourth to 54th.
At the trophy ceremony, Zheng told the crowd that winning in Beijing fulfilled a dream after a very tough year. She then sang for the fans. Speaking to reporters later, she said she had felt she had forgotten how to compete after coming back from injury. A run of defeats followed. Now, she said, she has found her fire again and wants to give everything in what comes next.
Andreeva leaves Beijing with positives too. This was her first China Open final, and she won the French Open earlier this year. Her run this week is set to lift her to a career-high ranking of third in the world. She said it had been a very nice week, even if it ended one win short.
The pair have history at this event. Their only previous meeting came in the 2024 China Open quarter-finals, when Zheng won in three sets. On Sunday she again found the answers at the key moments.
Tennis fans in Pakistan have had a full week of the sport. While Beijing crowned its first home champion, Astrid Cirotte won the Islamabad W15 title here, and Hurkacz stunned Djokovic at the Shanghai Masters.
What happens next
Both finalists stay in China this week. The WTA 1000 event in Wuhan is next on the calendar. Zheng faces American Ann Li in the first round. Andreeva, as one of the top seeds in the draw, starts her campaign in the second round.
For Zheng, the task now is to back up this title. A strong run in Wuhan would show that Beijing was a turning point, not a one-off. (Source: Dawn)
Frequently asked questions
Who won the China Open women’s title in 2026?
Zheng Qinwen won the title. She beat Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 in the final in Beijing on Sunday, October 11, 2026.
Why is Zheng Qinwen’s win historic?
She is the first home player to win the China Open since the tournament began in 2004. It is also her first WTA 1000 title.
What is Mirra Andreeva’s new ranking?
Andreeva’s run to her first China Open final is set to lift the 19-year-old to a career-high third in the world rankings.
