Zheng Qinwen, the Olympic champion, won her first title in two years on Sunday by beating French Open champion Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 in the China Open final in Beijing.
Zheng clinched the title on her first match point, serving an ace to Andreeva’s backhand side. She then fell to the court sobbing with emotion.
A Steep Fall and a Quick Return
An elbow injury sent Zheng’s ranking plummeting from a career-high No. 4 last year to No. 160 this season. She entered her home tournament as a wild card ranked No. 54. With the win, she will return to the top 30, the WTA said.
“I’ve been through a very tough year,” Zheng said in English during the trophy presentation, which had a touch of karaoke. She sang a pop song to roars of appreciation from the fans in the arena.
A Stellar Run in 2024
Zheng had a remarkable 2024. She reached the final of the Australian Open, won the singles title at the Paris Olympics on the clay of Roland Garros, and in October claimed her fifth career WTA title in Japan.
As a qualifier at the U.S. Open in August, she showed that her old form had returned. She advanced to the quarterfinals after twice rallying from 5-0 deficits in matches she won against Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek.
Andreeva Still Climbs
Despite the loss, Andreeva is set to rise to a career-high No. 3 in the rankings. On Sunday she held three points to win the first set while leading 5-4, but Zheng then reeled off 11 straight points to take it.
“For sure today she played great,” Andreeva said of Zheng. “It’s also very nice to see her playing better and coming back.”