Temi Kings
Beijing’s Diamond Court witnessed one of the most grueling matches of the WTA Asian swing as Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng produced a display of willpower to defeat Czech seed Marie Bouzková 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-5 in a three-set thriller. Spanning two hours and 54 minutes of heavy baseline exchanges, the victory propels China’s top-ranked player into the round of 16 while pushing her tournament court time past the eight-hour mark across three consecutive three-setters.
The opening set set the tempo for an agonizing contest, with both players exchanging early breaks as Bouzková’s defensive court coverage tested Zheng’s baseline power. Zheng relied on her explosive first serve, firing 11 aces throughout the contest, to dictate key points before dominating the first-set tiebreak 7-3. However, Bouzková responded with tactical discipline in the second set, neutralizing Zheng's heavy forehands and capitalizing on four break-point opportunities to claim the set 6-4 and level the match.
The decisive third set escalated into a test of physical endurance. Bouzková broke early to open up a lead, putting Zheng on the brink of a home court exit. Spurred on by a roaring crowd, the Chinese star elevated her return depth, striking 110 total points and breaking Bouzková back at 5-5. Serving with momentum, Zheng held at love before manufacturing two match points on Bouzková’s serve in the twelfth game, closing out the marathon with a cross-court forehand winner to set up a round-of-16 clash against Alina Charaeva.