Zheng Survives Fourth Straight Three-Setter to Reach Beijing Quarterfinals

Home favourite Qinwen Zheng beat No. 118 Alina Charaeva 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 in the China Open fourth round on Wednesday, reaching the quarterfinals after her fourth consecutive three-set match in Beijing.

Zheng Survives Fourth Straight Three-Setter to Reach Beijing Quarterfinals

Qinwen Zheng's love affair with the long route continued in Beijing on Wednesday, as the home favourite edged Alina Charaeva 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 to reach the China Open quarterfinals.

It was the wild card's fourth consecutive three-setter of the week, following wins over Shi Han, Anna Kalinskaya and Marie Bouzkova, taking her court time in the tournament past ten hours. Zheng raced through the opener before Charaeva — who had stunned new world No. 1 Elena Rybakina in the second round for the biggest win of her career — hit back to level, and the decider stayed on serve until the 2024 Olympic champion found the decisive break.

The 24-year-old Russian, ranked No. 118 and into a WTA 1000 fourth round for the first time, had been bidding to become the tournament's story of the week after her Rybakina upset and a straight-sets win over Sonay Kartal. Instead it is Zheng, the world No. 54, who marches on, improving her head-to-head against Charaeva to 2-0 after their 2020 W25 Marbella final.

Zheng now faces No. 6 seed Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals, with eight of her last nine matches dating back to the US Open having gone the distance.