Zheng Qinwen and Zhang Shuai advanced through the China Open women’s singles and doubles semi-finals respectively on October 10. Zheng beat Elise Mertens 7–5, 6–2 to become the first Chinese player to reach the tournament’s women’s singles final. Zhang and Siniakova defeated Routliffe and Sutjiadi 6–4, 6–2 to secure their place in the doubles final.
Two straight-set wins in succession, but six matches still total more than 13 hours
Zheng’s semi-final lasted 1 hour 32 minutes. The WTA’s post-match report noted that she resisted Mertens’s first-set fightback and won 8 of the final 10 games. She hit 32 winners and made 16 unforced errors.
Playing on a wildcard, Zheng went to three sets in each of her first four matches, then won both her quarter-final and semi-final in straight sets. Her six matches totalled 13 hours 33 minutes. Afterwards, she said she needed to find her rhythm gradually as matches progressed, while playing more aggressively was the goal she had set herself for this tournament.
Zhang and Siniakova win 13 in a row as finals day brings singles and doubles title chances
Zhang and Siniakova had played three tournaments together this year and were 13–0 after the China Open semi-final. In the China Open’s official report, Zhang emphasised the importance of her partner, while Siniakova viewed mutual support and positivity as the partnership’s strength. Both were reaching the tournament’s women’s doubles final for the first time.
Both finals on October 11 will take place on Diamond Court at the National Tennis Centre. The schedule below uses China Standard Time (UTC+8); the actual start of the women’s singles may also depend on the preceding matches.
| Event | China Standard Time (UTC+8) | Final matchup |
|---|---|---|
| Women’s doubles | October 11, 16:30 | Zhang Shuai / Siniakova vs Dabrowski / Stefani |
| Women’s singles | October 11, not before 19:30 | Zheng Qinwen vs Mirra Andreeva |
INKA SPORTS analysis: shorter recent matches reduce the load, but the final still tests fitness
Winning 8 of the final 10 games in the semi-final allowed Zheng to finish in two sets after a first-set challenge, avoiding the additional exertion of a third. Two successive straight-set wins also conserved energy. The long first four rounds, however, still leave an accumulated burden to address before the final.
Her final opponent Mirra Andreeva won the other semi-final 6–2, 6–2. Their only previous meeting came in the 2024 China Open quarter-finals, when Zheng won from a set down. Two years later, Andreeva has become French Open champion, and Zheng also noted that both have matured. The challenge in this final is whether she can continue attacking proactively after so much time on court while controlling her errors.
Conclusion
Zheng shortened her last two matches but still enters the final carrying more than 13 hours of accumulated play over six matches. Zhang and Siniakova, meanwhile, will pursue the title with an unbeaten record together this year. The two finals take place consecutively on the same court, giving Chinese players opportunities to compete for both singles and doubles titles.
