Zheng Qinwen's China Open Triumph Electrifies Beijing Crowd with Tennis and Karaoke

Zheng Qinwen Celebrates China Open Victory in Beijing

Zheng Qinwen took center stage again, not only with her tennis but also with her unique celebration style. Over recent months, she had become known for collapsing on her back after tough wins, a move that thrilled fans during the U.S. Open qualifying rounds, the main draw in New York, and now the highly significant Diamond Court in Beijing.

On Sunday, the 2024 Olympic champion secured the most important WTA Tour title of her career by defeating Mirra Andreeva with scores of 7-5, 6-4. Yet Zheng’s celebrations did not end there. To the delight of the 15,000 spectators present at the China Open final, and countless viewers watching via television, she delivered a memorable trophy ceremony karaoke performance.

A Singing Celebration After Victory

Zheng’s victory was crowned with a rendition of “梦的光点” (Light of Dreams), a song from the animated series 神兵小将 (Shenbing Kids). Earlier in the tournament, after beating Marie Bouzková, Zheng had mimicked a character’s signature pose, explaining in a news conference that she shared the show and song with her team. This wasn’t her first time singing on court either, having performed karaoke after winning the 2023 Zhengzhou Open.

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

Overcoming Injury and a Ranking Slump

Zheng, who turned 24 just days before, entered the tournament via a wild card after a challenging recovery from an elbow injury caused her ranking to drop outside the top 150 ahead of Wimbledon in July. At the French Open in May, she broke down in tears following a heavy loss to Maja Chwalińska, who later reached the final.

Her journey back gained momentum through late August and early September, as she battled through U.S. Open qualifying to reach the quarterfinals. With this China Open title, Zheng will climb back into the top 30, moving closer to the elite level she seemed destined for after winning Olympic gold and reaching the 2024 Australian Open final.

Match Insights: Tactical Adjustments and Resilience

Against Andreeva, Zheng’s usually powerful first serve faltered, landing just 38 percent of the time. Still, she dominated behind her second serve and capitalized on the few mistakes made by Andreeva, who generally served impressively.

Zheng quickly noticed Andreeva’s plan to direct forehands down the line to Zheng’s backhand, hoping to provoke a rally that favored the younger player’s stronger groundstroke. Zheng initially accepted too many of these exchanges but gradually shifted strategy, targeting Andreeva’s forehand more often, forcing errors and creating space for winners.

Andreeva had opportunities herself, earning three set points when Zheng served at 5-4 in the first set. Yet Zheng held firm, scoring eight straight points, breaking Andreeva’s serve without conceding a point, and serving an ace to take the set 7-5.

Physical and Mental Preparation Pays Off

Zheng faced four three-set matches en route to the championship, preparing rigorously all summer for demanding physical and mental battles. Before the U.S. Open, she skipped the Cincinnati Open to focus on intense training in Florida.

“Those conditions were super tough. Every day after practice I was sweating from head to toe,” Zheng explained at the U.S. Open.

This dedication helped Zheng overcome significant challenges, including comeback wins from 0-5 down in a set against Madison Keys and Iga Świątek. Though she lost in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Elena Rybakina, Zheng showed she could embrace the grind of returning to form.

“Going through this journey, there have been many chapters. You see the lows recently, but my junior years had many highs and lows. I didn’t expect the lows to last this long, so I treasure these opportunities more now. I used to think winning was normal, like drinking water, but now every win feels special because of the effort behind it,” she reflected after beating Elina Svitolina in Beijing.

Final Moments and Emotional Victory

In the final, Zheng battled hard. After a long game breaking Andreeva’s serve late in the second set, she fell behind 0-30 while serving for the title. She fought back with bold second serves to set up match point and finished with an ace, collapsing onto her back in her signature post-win pose.

Then came the encore: her trophy ceremony karaoke that delighted fans and added a personal touch to an unforgettable win on home soil.