China's Zheng Qinwen will take on Belgian star Elise Mertens in the women's singles semifinals of the 2026 China Open tonight (Oct. 10), with the match scheduled to start no earlier than 7 p.m. The two players will battle for a place in the final, and a victory would give Zheng her best-ever result at the tournament.
Zheng reached the semifinals on Oct. 9 with a straight-sets victory over sixth seed and Ukrainian star Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals. The win marked her return to the China Open semifinals for the first time in two years, equalling her best result at the tournament and giving her her first victory since turning 24.
Mertens has also impressed at this year's tournament, springing an upset over former champion Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals. The Belgian has now knocked out higher-ranked seeds in consecutive rounds. The two players have met only once before, at the WTA 500 Charleston Open in April 2025, where Zheng fought back from 0-2 down in the deciding set to claim victory.
After her quarterfinal win, Zheng said she was pleased with her more aggressive style of play and hoped to become more mature at the age of 24, remaining composed under pressure on court. She added that she hoped everyone would maintain a level-headed attitude, whether experiencing highs or lows.
Speaking about her preparations for the semifinal, Zheng said she would adjust her approach according to her opponent, but stressed that the most important thing was to focus on her own game.
She noted that reaching this stage showed that all the remaining players were highly capable, with every match becoming a hard-fought contest. In the end, she said, the outcome would depend on who could maintain a steadier mindset and play with greater assertiveness.
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