BEIJING — Zheng Qinwen completed a fairytale run at the China Open with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Mirra Andreeva in Sunday's final in Beijing to capture her first WTA 1000 title. The wildcard closed out the straight-sets win in one hour and 42 minutes after saving set points in the opener, cheered on by the home crowd.
Zheng was a break down in the first set and saved set points before taking it 7-5, then broke in the opening game of the second set. French Open champion Andreeva leveled at 1-1, but Zheng regained her composure and broke at 4-4 after creating a slew of break points, then held her nerve despite an immediate break-back threat to seal the victory. The 24-year-old, a former Australian Open finalist and former WTA Finals runner-up, beat four seeded players to reach the final.
The title delivers 1,000 ranking points and a winner's check of $1,151,380 (£869,982) for Zheng, while Andreeva takes 650 points and $612,340 (£462,684). Heading into the tournament Andreeva was fifth on 5,841 points and Zheng was 54th on 1,083, with Andreeva rising to a career-high third on 6,371 and Zheng to 28th on 1,668 prior to the final. After the win Zheng soared to 23rd on 2,018 points.
In the WTA Tour Race, Andreeva is third on 6,371 points behind second-place Aryna Sabalenka on 6,560 and world No. 1 Elena Rybakina on 7,502, while Zheng climbed to 20th on 2,018 points. The former gold medalist, who was ranked outside the top 100 earlier this year after struggling with injuries and was runner-up to Sabalenka at the 2024 Wuhan Open, has now achieved her goal of a WTA 1000 title.