Zheng Qinwen Returns From Injury to Make Beijing History
Monday, October 12, 2026214 words3 minutes1629 reads
Zheng Qinwen's first China Open title was also a comeback. She had right-elbow surgery in 2025, briefly returned in Beijing that year, then stopped playing again until February 2026. Her ranking later fell sharply. She needed a wild card to enter the main draw. That was her route back to the China Open this year.
She became the first Chinese player to reach a China Open women's singles final. This happened in Saturday's semifinal. Chinese players had lost all seven earlier semifinals at the event. On Sunday, Zheng faced Mirra Andreeva, who won the French Open this year. Zheng saved three set points in the opening set, then defeated Andreeva 7–5, 6–4. She became the first Chinese woman to win the tournament's singles title.
This was Zheng's first WTA 1000 title and her first tournament win since Tokyo in 2024. WTA 1000 events are among the highest-level tournaments on the women's tennis tour. The match's significance reached beyond the court. Final tickets sold out, and cinemas in China showed the match live for fans without seats.
Zheng had said her home crowd gave her motivation as well as pressure. Her win joined three stories: recovery after injury, a tournament first, and a difficult match played in front of people eager to see her succeed.
