Overcoming Early Setbacks and Saving Set Points
The final began with Andreeva, the French Open champion, imposing her baseline game and breaking early to take a 2-0 lead. Zheng fought back to level the opening set before facing a severe test in the 10th game. With Andreeva serving for the set at 5-4, Zheng saved three set points through disciplined defense and aggressive finishing. Having neutralized the threat, Zheng reeled off the final 11 points of the game and set to seal the opening frame 7-5.
Reflecting on the tense opening set, Andreeva told reporters that she could have taken more risks on her second-serve return during those crucial set points but credited Zheng for executing under pressure. In the second set, both players traded blows until the ninth game, when Zheng broke Andreeva’s serve to move ahead 5-4. Serving for the championship, Zheng overcame an initial double fault by sealing the victory with an ace, completing the 7-5, 6-4 triumph in 1 hour and 43 minutes.
A Remarkable Climb Back After Injury Disruptions
Zheng’s title run in Beijing caps a grueling journey back to the top of the sport after an elbow injury required surgery in July 2025, forcing her to prematurely end her previous season after Wimbledon. Her ranking subsequently slipped to No. 160 earlier in the year. Competing as a wildcard, Zheng had to survive multiple demanding battles en route to the final, opening with a three-set win over compatriot Shi Han, advancing past Anna Kalinskaya due to retirement, and grinding through rigorous three-set contests against Marie Bouzkova, Alina Charaeva, and sixth seed Elina Svitolina. She then defeated Belgium’s 13th seed Elise Mertens in the semifinals before overcoming Andreeva.
According to the Global Times, Zheng dropped 78 games over the course of the tournament, representing the most games dropped by a player winning a Tier I or WTA 1000 event since the format’s introduction in 1990, surpassing Belinda Bencic’s 66 dropped games in Toronto in 2015. Despite the heavy physical toll, the victory guarantees Zheng’s return to the top 30 in the world rankings, providing 1,000 ranking points as she seeks to re-establish herself among the tour’s elite.
Andreeva’s Historic Rise and Future Outlook
For Andreeva, the defeat brought an end to an impressive fortnight in Beijing, though the 19-year-old Russian is projected to rise to a career-high No. 3 ranking on Monday. In doing so, Andreeva becomes the third-youngest player this century to break into the top three of the WTA rankings, trailing only Maria Sharapova and Kim Clijsters. Andreeva praised Zheng’s resilience and acknowledged the emotional significance of her comeback season.
“For sure today she played great,” Andreeva noted regarding Zheng’s performance. “It’s also very nice to see her playing better and coming back. I think that she’s going to be raising her level even more soon.” As the WTA Tour moves toward the final stretch of the season, Zheng’s historic triumph in Beijing positions her for a strong resurgence, while Andreeva’s ascent underlines a generational shift at the top of women’s tennis.