Tennis

Qinwen Zheng explains how her China Open title compares to winning Olympic gold

October 12, 2026

Qinwen Zheng capped a historic year with a hard-fought victory at the China Open, securing her first WTA 1000 title in her home country. The 2024 season had already seen Zheng reach the Australian Open final and claim Olympic gold in Paris, but this triumph in Beijing—where she played before a roaring crowd—marked another milestone in her meteoric rise.

Speaking after the match, Zheng reflected on the intensity of both finals, admitting pre-match nerves were nearly identical, driven by an unshakable desire to win. She described the pressure as a double-edged sword: while it fueled her ambition, it also made relaxation impossible.

"I don’t want to just stop in the final; I want to become a champion," she explained, emphasizing the need to push beyond expectations. Beyond the court, Zheng’s journey has inspired a generation of Chinese tennis fans, particularly after overcoming a 2025 elbow injury that left her doubting her ability to return.

Her resilience and determination—reinforced by a renewed competitive fire—have redefined her career trajectory, culminating in this rankings-jumping triumph. With the Wuhan Open already behind her, Zheng’s focus now turns to sustaining this momentum as she aims for even greater heights.