Zheng Qinwen kept her China Open campaign alive with another marathon, outlasting 18th seed Marie Bouzkova 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-5 in Beijing to reach the fourth round.
The Chinese wild card needed 2 hours and 54 minutes to close out her third successive three-set match of the tournament, taking her on-court total to eight hours and one minute — more than any other player in the draw so far. Zheng will now play qualifier Alina Charaeva for a place in the quarterfinals.
A third deciding-set escape
- Zheng opened the match strongly and moved ahead 3-1 in the first set, creating three break points on Bouzkova’s serve. The Czech resisted and held, a passage Zheng later identified as one she could have handled better.
- The opening set went to a tiebreak, where Zheng took control to win it 7-3.
- Bouzkova responded in the second set, leveling the contest 6-4 and forcing Zheng into a third consecutive deciding set in Beijing.
- Zheng recovered to seal the final set 7-5, earning her first China Open round-of-16 appearance since 2024.
“I feel that everyone wants to beat me here,” Zheng said after the match. “They come out playing their best tennis, which shows how high the level is.”
The home favourite has developed a reputation for surviving tight matches this season. Thirteen of her 21 tour-level victories in 2026 have come in deciding sets.
Serve gives Zheng an edge
Although Bouzkova repeatedly made the match physical from the baseline, Zheng’s delivery provided a crucial advantage. She struck 11 aces and won 46 of 57 first-serve points, an 81 per cent success rate. Her tournament ace count has reached 26, the highest total among the Beijing field.
Zheng also maintained sustained pressure when returning. She generated 12 break-point opportunities, won 36 per cent of Bouzkova’s first-serve points and took 53 per cent of the Czech’s second-serve points.
She said the serving numbers were not necessarily a reflection of extensive preparation before the event, but was encouraged by the quality of the points that followed her delivery.
“Practice had some good moments and some bad ones, and I thought I could have prepared better,” Zheng said. “But I am pleased with what I did after the serve. That was not something I had worked on much before, yet it has been better in the matches. That is something to be happy about.”
Home expectations remain a factor
Zheng had described Beijing as feeling like a fifth Grand Slam because of the attention and support she receives in China. The crowd has helped carry her through three demanding matches, though she acknowledged that the desire to perform at home can also add pressure.
“I am very happy to win,” she said. “Maybe my opponent was playing without pressure, while I was carrying a lot because I wanted to do well in front of the home fans. Their support gives me energy, but I also need to stay calmer, especially in a situation like leading 3-1 in the first set. I should have done better with those points.”
Charaeva awaits in the fourth round
Next up is Charaeva, making her Beijing main-draw debut and enjoying an unexpected run through the draw. She reached the last 16 after beating Sonay Kartal, following her earlier upset of world No. 1 Elena Rybakina.
Zheng holds a 1-0 head-to-head lead, having beaten Charaeva 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in Marbella six years ago. However, she said she has limited familiarity with the Russian’s current game.
“I may have watched some of her matches, but I do not have much of an impression of her game,” Zheng said. “I am not very familiar with her. After this press conference, I will do my homework.”
