Zheng Qinwen has been a picture of determination over the last three months, and her remarkable rise continues in Beijing.
Chris OddoOctober 9, 20263 minute read
Wins used to be low-hanging fruit for Zheng Qinwen on tour. Just show up, pick a ripe one and dig in.
“I used to think that winning a match is like drinking water: it is normal,” Zheng said on Friday after reaching the semifinals in Beijing. “But now I’m more grateful for every win because I understand how much effort I have made behind every win.”
She’s always had a way with words – and the will to win. The combination of the two makes for one of the tour’s most compelling stories in the second half of 2026. It’s also a window into the mindset of a 23-year-old who is beginning to understand that sometimes the greatest breakthroughs come not from winning, but from accepting her own personal faults and addressing them.
After tumbling down the rankings and enduring a prolonged period of frustration that stemmed from elbow surgery just over a year ago, the Chinese star has turned her 2026 season around in breathtaking fashion. From qualifying at the US Open, where she reached the quarterfinals, to her inspired run to the Beijing semifinals, Zheng has become the tour’s poster girl for fortitude over the last three months.
She’s climbed from No. 121 at the start of the US Open to No. 35 in the live rankings, and with a semifinal against Elise Mertens looming this weekend, she’s bidding to become the first Chinese woman to reach the Beijing final.
But the most fascinating part of Zheng’s resurgence isn’t necessarily what she’s accomplished on the court. Instead, it’s about her willingness to take a hard look in the mirror.
Finding Strength in the Struggle
“My biggest takeaway is that lows are not necessarily bad,” Zheng explained after her 6-3, 7-6(6) win over Elina Svitolina on Friday. “Being positive every day is really difficult. When I am low, I have the energy to make a breakthrough. I saw the shortcomings in myself. I saw the weaknesses of my personality. The lows actually helped me improve.”
Zheng has learned to view her tribulations as an opportunity to rebuild not only her game but her character. When life gives you lemons, in other words.
“You are happy when you’re on the high ground. It doesn’t really help you to reflect,” she said. “Exactly when you are in the lows, you should face the challenge. That’s what helps you reflect and grow because you’ll always make it back from the lows.”
Perhaps the most revealing example of Zheng’s transformation came in August, during a grueling training block in Florida. After pushing herself to the brink of exhaustion in the heat, playing qualifying in Flushing Meadows seemed like a cakewalk.
“What I did in that training block is still unforgettable,” she recalled. “I’ve been facing a lot of tough physical conditions. Not only the weather, the training, but mentally. I couldn’t play those tournaments. I have to accept.”
She said her coach, Pere Riba, gave it to her straight, at precisely the moment when she was ready to hear him.
“I remember Pere, he say to me, Right now you are just 140 in the ranking. Used to be like 65 before. So now you need to listen to me more on court because you are not the top 10 you was.”
The Spaniard’s words stung, but reverberated.
“I was really angry inside,” Zheng admitted. “But I have to calm down and say yes, that’s the reality.”
Her run in Beijing has been a testament to all those hard yards.
Zheng battled through four three-set matches just to reach the quarterfinals, repeatedly finding ways to survive when the margins were thin and the pressure was mounting.
She’ll bid to become the first Chinese woman to reach the Beijing final on Saturday – an opportunity well-earned.
