Qinwen Zheng signs the dream final with Mirra Andreeva in Beijing

the china Qinwen Zheng (n.54), Olympic champion, defeated the Belgian this Saturday Elise Mertens (n.19) by 7-5 and 6-2 and became the first local tennis player to reach the women’s singles final of the WTA 1000 in Beijing, China Open, since its return to the calendar in 2004.

In one hour and 32 minutes on the hard court of a packed Diamond center in Beijing, Zheng overcame the ups and downs of the first set and ended up imposing his power in front of an audience that at times celebrated his attacks before the points ended.

The Chinese took the initiative from the start, won her first serve blank and immediately broke to go ahead 3-0 with deep returns and changes of direction that forced Mertens to respond from defensive positions.

The Belgian avoided a 4-0 lead and took advantage of Zheng’s haste to string together three games from 4-1, including a break favored by the home team’s errors, and equalize the score.

Zheng had to contain his momentum and regain precision to, at 4-4, overcome another failed forehand against a high ball from Mertens who had time to prepare and resolve the game with a backhand shot near the net.

After 5-5, he held to love, combining a dropshot with a parallel forehand, and closed out the rest on his first set point.

The second heat offered a firmer version of the Olympic champion. He went ahead 3-0 again, this time after saving a break opportunity, and found support in the serve to sustain his attacks.

He hit five of his eight aces in that set and only lost one point of the fourteen played with first serve.

Mertens, who had consecutively eliminated Coco Gauff (n.4) and Iga Swiatek (n.9), was barely able to stop a rival who ended up with 31 winners compared to her eight. Zheng sentenced with another break, on his first match point.

The Chinese will seek the title this Sunday against the Russian Mirra Andreeva (n.5), pupil of the Spanish Conchita Martinezwho defeated the Czech Nikola Bartunkova (n.34) 6-2 and 6-2.

For his part, Mertens still had to compete in the doubles semifinal after his individual elimination.