Zheng Qinwen captures China Open title and first WTA 1000 crown
- Chinese tennis player Zheng Qinwen defeated fourth seed and reigning French Open champion Mirra Andreeva 2-0 in the women's singles final on Oct.
- The victory marks the first time a Chinese player has won the women's singles title in the twenty-year history of the China Open.
- During the post-match trophy presentation, Zheng fulfilled a pre-match promise by singing Dreams of Light, the theme song of the animated series Divine Soldier Boys, on court, according...
Chinese tennis player Zheng Qinwen defeated fourth seed and reigning French Open champion Mirra Andreeva 2-0 in the women’s singles final on Oct. 11, 2026, to capture her sixth career singles title and her first career WTA 1000 crown at the China Open in Beijing, according to People’s Daily.
Zheng Claims Historic China Open Victory
The victory marks the first time a Chinese player has won the women’s singles title in the twenty-year history of the China Open. Competing at the National Tennis Center’s Diamond Court, Zheng secured the straight-sets win over Andreeva on Oct. 11, 2026, as reported by People’s Daily. The tournament victory also brings her first title since the Tokyo tournament in 2024.
During the post-match trophy presentation, Zheng fulfilled a pre-match promise by singing Dreams of Light
, the theme song of the animated series Divine Soldier Boys
, on court, according to Phoenix News. In the post-match photo session, Zheng also drew attention by removing her father’s hat. As Phoenix News reported, Zheng explained that her father was wearing a Roland-Garros hat while they were at the China Open, prompting her mother to point it out and leading Zheng to immediately take it off.
Injuries and Low Rankings Plague Runners Before the Big Event
Zheng entered the tournament ranked No. 54 in the world after receiving a wildcard, following a difficult stretch marked by injuries and a ranking that once dropped to No. 160, according to People’s Daily and Phoenix News. Following right-elbow surgery in July 2025, she attempted a comeback at the China Open that same year but was forced to retire due to the injury, keeping her away from the tour until February 2026, as detailed by People’s Daily (Sichuan Channel).
Reflecting on the physical and mental toll of her recovery, Zheng noted that she initially expected her slump to last only a month or two, but it stretched to nearly half a year with early-round exits and a first-round loss at the French Open.
In my lowest point of life, everyone was saying I couldn’t come back.
People’s Daily (Sichuan Channel)
To break the slump, Zheng and her team underwent high-intensity training in Florida after the 2025 U.S. Open before launching a strong hard-court campaign at the U.S. Open and carrying that momentum into Beijing.
Climbing Back Into the Rankings After Seven-Match Win Streak
With her seven-match winning streak at the China Open, Zheng collected 1,000 ranking points that elevated her live ranking to No. 23, bringing her back toward the world’s top 20, as reported by Phoenix News. Throughout the tournament, Zheng increased her aggressive play, accumulating 243 total winners across her matches to set a WTA tour single-tournament high for the season, according to People’s Daily (Sichuan Channel).
Zheng’s path to the final included a 2-hour and 44-minute opening-round battle and a second-round victory over 15th seed Veronika Kudermetova where her opponent retired due to injury in the deciding set, marking Zheng’s 50th career main-draw win at the WTA 1000 level. In the final against Andreeva, Zheng faced an early break before settling down to win in straight sets.
At first I didn’t know how to win, I could only take it one point at a time and tell myself to hold on and not give up. I’ve played so many matches and I’m physically and mentally exhausted, but because it was in front of home fans, I had a breath holding me up.
People’s Daily (Sichuan Channel)
China's Zheng Qinwen claimed the women's singles title at the 2026 #ChinaOpen on Sunday, defeating Russia's Mirra Andreeva in the final. Playing in front of her home crowd, the Paris Olympic champion delivered a resilient performance to capture her maiden #WTA 1000 title. The… pic.twitter.com/tPZLquwdrv
Targeting Sustained High-Level Competition
Following her title run in Beijing, the 24-year-old player aims to maintain a consistent high level of play across the tour rather than focusing on a single tournament success, according to People’s Daily (Sichuan Channel). Her ranking progress puts her within reach of the top 20 as the autumn tennis circuit continues.
More on China Open
🏆 2026 #ChinaOpen Women's Singles Champion: Zheng Qinwen!China's Zheng Qinwen defeated fourth seed Mirra Andreeva in the China Open women's singles final on Sunday, becoming the first Chinese player to win a singles title at the tournament. The victory also marked Zheng's first… pic.twitter.com/GJHFax9o1x