Zheng Qinwen opened her China Open campaign with a hard-fought win in an all-Chinese match. On Thursday, October 1, the wild card defeated qualifier Shi Han 7–6(6), 4–6, 6–2 in two hours and 44 minutes in the first round of the WTA 1000 event in Beijing.
The opening set set the tone for a close contest: Zheng needed her fifth set point to take it. Shi responded by winning the second set and forcing a decider. Zheng then broke serve twice to settle the match and secure her place in the next round.
Return pressure makes the difference
The official statistics help explain the result. Zheng converted four of seven break points and won 66% of the points played on Shi's second serve. She also saved five of the eight break points she faced, limiting the damage in her own service games while putting pressure on her opponent's serve.
Kalinskaya awaits
Next up is Anna Kalinskaya, the No. 15 seed. Their head-to-head stands at one win apiece, according to the WTA.
The opener brings Zheng back in front of her home crowd after a run from qualifying to the US Open quarterfinals. Before taking the court in Beijing, she spoke about the special place the Chinese swing holds in her season and the mix of support and expectations that comes with playing at home. This win keeps her campaign moving; another victory will require getting past a seeded opponent.
The WTA's official highlights show Zheng's match against Shi Han at the 2026 China Open.
