Zheng Qinwen’s China Open Triumph Delights Beijing Crowd With Tennis and Karaoke

Zheng Qinwen returned to the microphone after a thrilling win at the China Open. Known for collapsing on her back after important victories, she added a new celebration to her repertoire following her biggest WTA Tour title so far. After defeating Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 on Sunday, Zheng delighted the 15,000 fans at the Diamond Court in Beijing—and countless viewers watching on TV—with a karaoke performance during the trophy ceremony.

Her song choice was 梦的光点 (Light of Dreams), from the animated series 神兵小将 (Shenbing Kids). Earlier in the tournament, after beating Marie Bouzková, she had already shown her team the show and song that inspired her celebrations. Zheng also has previous experience singing on court, having performed karaoke after winning the Zhengzhou Open in 2023.

"The feeling was incredible. To win here in Beijing in front of my home crowd is one of my dreams," Zheng said during the ceremony.

Road to Recovery and Return to Form

Turning 24 just days before the tournament, Zheng entered Beijing with a wild card after battling back from an elbow injury that pushed her ranking out of the top 150 before Wimbledon. Her comeback included emotional moments, such as tears at the French Open after a tough loss to Maja Chwalińska, who later reached the final there.

Zheng rebuilt her form through the U.S. Open qualifying rounds, reaching the quarterfinals in New York. This China Open title will move her back into the top 30 as she climbs toward the elite ranks she seemed destined for when she won Olympic gold and reached the Australian Open final in 2024.

Match Highlights Against Andreeva

In the final, Zheng struggled with her first serve, connecting only 38 percent of the time. Still, she was strong on second serves and capitalized on the few chances given by Andreeva, whose serving was generally excellent. She quickly adapted to Andreeva’s tactic of attacking Zheng’s backhand with forehand down-the-line shots, shifting the dynamic as the match progressed.

Andreeva earned three set points at 5-4 in the first set, but Zheng saved them all and then surged ahead with eight straight points. She broke Andreeva’s serve without dropping a point and held her own serve to take the first set 7-5, finishing with an ace.

Physical and Mental Preparation

Zheng needed four three-set matches to capture the title, having prepared extensively over the summer to endure long battles both physically and mentally. She withdrew from the Cincinnati Open to focus on intensive training in Florida, enduring grueling sessions that left her drenched in sweat daily.

"Those conditions were super tough. Every day after practice, I was totally wiped out," Zheng shared at the U.S. Open.

This hard work paid off during the U.S. Open, where she made a remarkable run from qualifying to the last eight. She famously came back from 5-0 down in sets twice, against Madison Keys and Iga Świątek, before falling to eventual champion Elena Rybakina. These experiences proved she could handle the climb back up the rankings—a theme she emphasized during her China Open run.

"There have been many chapters in this journey. I've experienced highs and lows since my junior years. The recent lows lasted longer than expected, which makes me value every opportunity now," she explained after beating Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals.

She added, "I used to think winning a match was normal, like drinking water. Now I'm more grateful for every victory because I know how much effort it takes."

Closing Moments and Final Celebration

The final moments were tense. Zheng battled through a long game to break Andreeva’s serve late in the second set. Serving for the championship, she fell behind 0-30 but fought back fiercely with aggressive second serves, earning match point. She closed it out with an ace and collapsed on her back, a celebration she's made famous since August. Then it was time to sing again.