Qinwen Zheng will still be celebrating making history at the China Open, having become the first home champion in Beijing.
Zheng defeated Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 in the final of the WTA 1000 tournament, which she had entered as a wildcard. Both players have since decided to withdraw from the Wuhan Open following their lengthy runs at the China Open.
While Andreeva will now be pondering what she could have done better, Zheng has been busy parading her new piece of silverware around Beijing. And she has also been heavily involved in media duties, during which she has made a claim about WTA legend Serena Williams.
China Open champion Qinwen Zheng wants to copy the impact of Serena Williams
Speaking to the WTA website, Zheng was asked what it is like being so well known in her country. The 2024 Olympic gold medallist replied: “It’s not easy to be a national icon. Since two, three years ago I felt high responsibility on my shoulders because I want to behave well in front of [my] people. I want those young kids when they look at me, I am a good inspiration for them.
“I want to be a good example for them because I know how much the example can make a huge impact for the kid. I remember when I was a kid I used to watch Serena, this iconic player, how much impact they can [have on] me. I wish I could make always positive stuff with them.”
Williams continues to have an extraordinary impact on the sport, for her efforts both on and off the court. Concerning the former, she boasts 23 Grand Slam titles and once climbed as high as world number one, among countless other superb achievements. The American has never played against Zheng, but a match is certainly possible given that she has decided to return to tennis.
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Qinwen Zheng calls China Open the ‘fifth Grand Slam’ after claiming the title
Zheng is enjoying a remarkable rise of her own right now, having just climbed 31 places to 23rd. Meanwhile, Andreeva has made her top three debut, but the China Open was undoubtedly all about Zheng’s stunning run in front of her home fans.
Discussing the atmosphere in Sunday’s final, she said: “China Open for me is like the fifth Grand Slam, and in this tournament, it’s one of them I need to really give everything. I really appreciated today there is no empty seat, because I felt all the people that want to come to watch me play. I felt extra energy to fight there on court.
“I always say that if I can reach [further rounds], people will know more about tennis. I know Chinese people, they like to see Chinese players compete because we have a big honour for our country, and I would really love more kids to know tennis, this sport. But no empty seats, that’s quite amazing.”
It was a fairytale ending for Zheng, who is now a six-time WTA champion. She will now have grand plans to achieve further success, which should involve climbing the rankings further, having once reached world number four. The China Open champion has, however, made the understandable and wise decision to withdraw from Wuhan after such a demanding run.
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