BEIJING — Zheng Qinwen returns to the China Open carrying the momentum of a US Open quarterfinal run, but the Chinese wild card says the home swing brings a level of expectation she compares with the sport’s biggest stages.
Home support and heightened expectations
Zheng will open her Beijing campaign on Thursday against fellow Chinese player Shi Han, who came through qualifying. The 2024 China Open semifinalist has risen to No. 52 after beginning the US Open outside the top 120, where she won through qualifying before reaching the last eight.
Playing before a domestic crowd is a source of both energy and pressure for the former world No. 4.
- Zheng described competing in China as being comparable in importance to a fifth major tournament.
- She said she feels added responsibility to perform well for Chinese supporters.
- At the same time, she said the backing from the stands gives her no reason to complain about that pressure.
- Her aim remains to collect enough victories to continue climbing from her current position around No. 50.
“This is a fresh event for me, the China Open,” Zheng said. “My ranking is still around 50, so there are many matches ahead and I want to win plenty of them.”
New York surge followed a difficult summer
Zheng’s charge in New York came after an uneven build-up. In Toronto, she had been required to enter qualifying because of her ranking and lost her opening match in that draw, her first appearance in qualifying since January 2023.
She subsequently skipped Cincinnati and undertook an intensive training block, a decision that paid off at the US Open. Rather than linger on the turnaround, Zheng is focused on proving that her current ranking does not reflect her level.
Elbow surgery interrupted that progress and left her rebuilding her position on tour. Zheng said the operation effectively forced her to begin again, while insisting she still believes she can surpass the career-best No. 4 ranking she achieved previously.
“The surgery interrupted my development and I had to rebuild from almost nothing,” she said. “The ranking reflects the past year, but I know what level I can reach. I do not believe this is where I belong, and I need to demonstrate it on court.”
Beijing return after last year’s setback
Zheng said her preparations have gone well despite an intermittent cough, which she does not expect to become a significant issue during the tournament.
Her appearance in Beijing comes a year after a troubled comeback at the event. The China Open was her first tournament since elbow surgery in July 2025, but she played only two matches and stopped during the second. Although she had medical clearance to return, she later acknowledged that she had pushed the comeback too quickly, aggravating the problem and remaining off the tour until Doha in February.
That experience has not reduced her ambition for a tournament where the support is especially intense.
- Zheng reached the semifinals in Beijing in 2024.
- She said Chinese fans expect more from her during the home events, matching her own standards.
- She acknowledged that the Chinese season inevitably creates additional pressure, even when she tries to avoid placing it on herself.
With Shi waiting in the first round, Zheng now has the opportunity to turn that pressure into another run in front of her home crowd.
