Qinwen Zheng claimed the first WTA-1000 title of her career, following a straight-sets victory over Mirra Andreeva in the China Open final.

The 2024 Olympic gold medallist became the first home favourite to triumph at the event, as she prevailed 7-5 6-4 after one hour and 42 minutes.

Zheng had spent over 13-and-a-half hours on court to reach the final, and she was slow out of the blocks, falling a break down in the first set.

She broke back immediately, though she faced three break points in game 10.

However, Zheng dug deep to rescue them and eventually hold, before reeling off eight successive points to take the opening set.

Zheng broke again at the start of the second, though Andreeva hit back straightaway in her quest to become the youngest player to win three WTA 1000 titles.

The crucial moment came in a mammoth ninth game, with Zheng eventually breaking to set up a service game for the match.

Despite trailing 0-30, she bounced back and sealed a groundbreaking victory with a stunning ace.

78 - Only Madison Keys at the Australian Open 2025 (87) has dropped more games than Qinwen Zheng at the China Open 2026 (78) en route to claim a WTA level title in the Open Era. Effort. #ChinaOpen | @ChinaOpen @WTA https://t.co/BV4qNG4EDs

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) October 11, 2026

Homeland glory for Zheng

No Chinese player had ever won the China Open, and neither had a wildcard.

Zheng's chances of breaking the mould looked unlikely when she made a nervy start to the championship match.

Not only that, but Andreeva had reeled off 10 straight sets to reach her fourth WTA 1000 final, and stood on the brink of becoming the first player to win the China Open after losing her opening set of the tournament.

Back came Zheng, though. After rescuing those set points in that 10th game, she went on a remarkable run of 11 straight points to move halfway towards victory.

Though she was pegged back after breaking at the start of the second set, Zheng was not rattled and thrived under the raucous support of her home crowd.

The 24-year-old also broke new ground with her victory, as her 78 games dropped are the most by any player on the way to winning a WTA 1000 event since the format's introduction.

In fact, Madison Keys at the 2025 Australian Open has let more games slip en route to claiming a WTA title in the Open Era.

That only further underlines her sheer determination, which she has demonstrated so much in recent times with her recovery from elbow surgery earlier this year.