Zheng Qinwen keeps climbing after another grueling China Open win: “I believe everybody wants to take me down”
WTA
Zheng Qinwen continues to grind her way through the China Open, with another three-set victory keeping her Beijing campaign alive and giving her another opportunity to climb the WTA rankings. The former world No. 4 defeated 18th seed Marie Bouzkova 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-5 to reach the fourth round.
The Chinese star has now spent eight hours and one minute on court in Beijing, more than any other player remaining in the tournament at this stage. Her ability to find a way through deciding sets has once again been crucial, with 13 of her 21 WTA Tour victories this season coming in three-set matches.
Zheng had already needed three sets against Shi Han and Anna Kalinskaya earlier in the tournament. She defeated Shi 7-6, 4-6, 6-2 before overcoming Kalinskaya 6-7, 6-4, 3-0, with the latter retiring.
The run is also becoming increasingly important for Zheng's ranking ambitions. The 23-year-old is currently No. 45 in the live rankings and can continue to move higher with more victories in Beijing, with a return towards the top 30 and a potential Australian Open seeding among her longer-term targets.
“Everybody wants to take me down”
Playing in front of her home crowd has brought Zheng plenty of support, but it has also created a different kind of pressure. She believes opponents arrive in Beijing particularly motivated to challenge her, making every match another test of her ability to handle expectations.
“I just think I believe here everybody wants to take me down,” Zheng said. “They really show up [with] their best tennis. I believe somehow they prove that the level was really high.”
After the win over Bouzkova, Zheng admitted that the support can work both ways, giving her energy while also making it harder to play freely.
“Of course, I'm really happy to win because I felt like maybe [the opponent] plays without pressure, but I felt I really play with lot of pressure because I want to perform well in front of my home crowd,” Zheng said. “This gives me energy, but in the same time I believe maybe I should be a bit more chill, more relax on court, especially when I'm leading 3-1 in the first set.”
Zheng had chances to make the opening set more comfortable before Bouzkova fought back, and the Chinese player was also critical of her own level during the match. “Those mistakes... I believe I should [have] done it better,” Zheng said.
Zheng's run in Beijing has already moved her to No. 45 in the live rankings, and another victory would take her closer to the top 40. With a deep run potentially opening the door to a return towards the top 30 and a seeded position at the Australian Open, the China Open is becoming an important part of her push back up the rankings.
| Official ranking | No. 54 |
| Live Ranking | No. 45 |
| If Zheng advance to quarterfinals | No. 42 |
| If Zheng advance to semifinals | No. 36 |
Zheng prepares for Charaeva as ranking climb continues
The next challenge will be Alina Charaeva, one of the biggest surprises of the tournament. The qualifier has reached the fourth round of a WTA 1000 for the first time after defeating former world No. 1 Elena Rybakina in the second round, having also beaten Yuliia Starodubtseva and Sonay Kartal.
Charaeva's run has already guaranteed her a place inside the top 100 for the first time in her career. She now faces Zheng with the Chinese player holding a 1-0 advantage in their head-to-head, although that meeting came six years ago in Marbella, when Zheng won 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Zheng admitted she does not remember much about that match and has only a limited understanding of Charaeva's current game.
“To be honest, I might have seen her matches, but a little bit [of an] impression of her game, not so much. [I'm] not very familiar,” Zheng said. “After this press conference I will do my homework.”
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The Chinese star will also be looking to improve certain aspects of her game as the tournament progresses. Despite the difficult conditions and the amount of time she has already spent on court, Zheng identified one area that has given her reason for optimism.
“There was some ups and downs in my practice, I thought I could have done better,” Zheng said. “What makes me happy is what I did after my serve. I didn't really practice previously, but I did better in the matches. This is something I should celebrate.”
For now, though, Zheng has another difficult match to navigate. Charaeva has already shown that she can take down established names in Beijing, while Zheng has spent more time on court than anyone else in the draw. Her ability to keep finding a way through the deciding sets could once again prove decisive.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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