Qinwen Zheng Survives Nearly Three-Hour Opener Against Han Shi at China Open
China’s Qinwen Zheng overcame countrywoman Han Shi 7-6 (6), 4-6, 6-2 in a grueling two-hour and forty-four-minute opening round match at the China Open in Beijing. Playing on a wild card following her run to the U.S. Open quarterfinals last month, Zheng needed five set points to secure the opening tiebreak before the 231st-ranked qualifier forced a deciding third set.
Here is why that match tested Zheng immediately. Zheng, currently ranked No. 54, struggled to find her footing as she tried to incorporate a more aggressive style into her game. “I didn’t change my rhythm like how I used to play, because I’m also trying to be more aggressive, so this caused more unusual mistakes,” Zheng said. She eventually seized control in the deciding set, breaking Shi twice to improve to 6-1 against fellow Chinese players. Up next for Zheng in the second round is 15th-seeded Anna Kalinskaya.
Paula Badosa Escapes Daria Kasatkina in Another Marathon Battle
Spain’s Paula Badosa joined Zheng in surviving a lengthy test, rallying for a 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4 victory over Australia’s Daria Kasatkina. Kasatkina came within just two points of closing out the match during the second set before Badosa mounted her escape in the tiebreaker, securing her second win over Kasatkina in as many months. “It was also very emotional roller-coaster match because we were both wanting it so badly,” Badosa said. “I saw at the end, she was struggling a bit, and I thought, this is my moment now. I’m happy that I got through it, especially mentally was a mental battle for me.”
Teenagers Make Waves as Xinran Sun Wins Debut and Yihan Qu Pushes Dart
The tournament brought dramatic milestones and close calls for younger competitors. Chinese wild card Xinran Sun successfully debuted on the WTA Tour when Germany’s Eva Lys retired with a foot injury while trailing 6-1, 3-0. The 16-year-old Sun, who captured the U.S. Open junior title last month, rebounded from losing her opening service game by rattling off nine straight games. “Honestly, I feel good on the court,” Sun stated. “I’m just making my tactic and just following what I need to do.”
But another Chinese teenager faced heartbreak on the court. Seventeen-year-old Yihan Qu pushed British qualifier Harriet Dart for more than three hours before ultimately falling 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5.
Opening Round Results and Match Details at a Glance
| Winner | Loser | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Qinwen Zheng | Han Shi | 7-6 (6), 4-6, 6-2 |
| Paula Badosa | Daria Kasatkina | 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4 |
| Xinran Sun | Eva Lys | 6-1, 3-0 (ret.) |
| Harriet Dart | Yihan Qu | 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 |
| Ashlyn Krueger | Sofia Kenin | 6-3, 6-3 |
| Katie Volynets | Robin Montgomery | 7-5, 7-5 |
| Zhu Lin | Alycia Parks | 6-4, 6-2 |
| Kimberly Birrell | Aoi Ito | 6-1, 6-1 |
| Storm Hunter | Yu Jun Lin | 6-2, 6-1 |
| Camila Osorio | Lanlana Tararudee | 6-3, 6-3 |
| Katerina Siniakova | Magda Linette | 6-4, 6-3 |
Global Contenders and International Challengers Advance
Across the rest of the tournament’s opening matches, multiple players cemented straight-sets victories. In all-American matchups, Ashlyn Krueger defeated former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-3, and Katie Volynets topped qualifier Robin Montgomery 7-5, 7-5. Meanwhile, China’s Zhu Lin eliminated Alycia Parks 6-4, 6-2.
Australia’s Kimberly Birrell extended her winning streak to six matches by routing Japan’s Aoi Ito 6-1, 6-1, while fellow Australian Storm Hunter defeated Chinese wild card Yu Jun Lin 6-2, 6-1. Colombia’s Camila Osorio overcame Thailand’s Lanlana Tararudee 6-3, 6-3, and the Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova dispatched Poland’s Magda Linette 6-4, 6-3. Additional advancement slots were secured by Kamilla Rakhimova of Uzbekistan, Armenia’s Alina Charaeva, Russia’s Anastasia Zakharova, Sonay Kartal of Great Britain and China’s Gao Xinyu.
