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Mirra Andreeva admits she has one ‘regret’ about her performance after losing the China Open final

Qinwen Zheng made history in Beijing by claiming her first WTA 1000 title at the 2026 China Open, becoming the first Chinese player to win the tournament since its revival in 2004. Zheng defeated Mirra Andreeva in straight sets (7-5, 6-4), overcoming a challenging season marked by injury and a drop outside the top 100 rankings earlier this year.

The victory marks a significant rebound for Zheng, who underwent surgery after Wimbledon 2025 and returned to competition in February, steadily climbing back in the rankings with a standout performance at the US Open, where she reached the quarterfinals after qualifying and defeating top seeds like Madison Keys and Iga Świątek.

Andreeva, who had aimed for her first WTA 1000 win of the season and her third career title, reflected on the match afterward, admitting regret over missed opportunities during three set points. She acknowledged that her returns on serve during those critical moments could have been more aggressive, particularly on Zheng’s powerful second serve.

Despite the loss, Andreeva praised Zheng’s resilience and skill, noting her impressive comeback from injury. The Russian will next compete at the Wuhan Open, where she enters as the third seed, seeking to build momentum ahead of the season’s final WTA 1000 event.

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