The wildcard entry delivered an aggressive performance to overcome the sixth-seeded Svitolina in one hour and 47 minutes, securing her first straight-sets victory of this year’s tournament.
Zheng, the 2024 Olympic champion, produced 48 winners to overpower her opponent, who managed just 13 unforced errors but struggled to match the Chinese player’s attacking intensity.
Zheng holds her nerve in second-set tie-break
The 24-year-old made a strong start, taking the opening set 6-3 with powerful groundstrokes and well-placed winners that repeatedly put Svitolina under pressure.
However, the Ukrainian raised her level in the second set, forcing Zheng to work harder as the contest moved towards a tie-break.
Zheng initially fell behind 0-2 in the tie-break after double-faulting on the opening point. She responded with greater aggression, recovered the deficit and eventually converted her second match point to seal the victory.
The home favourite fell onto her back in celebration as the Beijing crowd responded enthusiastically to her achievement.
“Truthfully, because I really wanted to grab this win, I was really nervous,” Zheng said after the match.
She added that she had tried to remain aggressive at important moments, acknowledging that Svitolina had raised her level during the tightly contested second set.
Tough route to the semi-finals
Zheng’s progress is particularly notable given the physical demands of her campaign in Beijing.
The Chinese player had spent more than 10 hours on court across her earlier matches before reaching the quarter-finals. Her victory over Svitolina represented her first straight-sets win of the tournament.
Ranked 54th in the world at the time of the report, Zheng entered the competition as a wildcard and has taken advantage of home support to mount an impressive run.
Her Olympic gold medal in Paris in 2024 remains a defining achievement in her career, and a strong performance in Beijing offers another opportunity to make an impact on home soil.
Mertens sets up semi-final meeting with Zheng
Belgium’s Elise Mertens secured the other semi-final place in Zheng’s section by upsetting Poland’s Iga Swiatek 7-6(0), 6-3.
The world No. 19 produced a disciplined display against the eighth-seeded Swiatek, committing just 11 unforced errors compared with her opponent’s 34.
Mertens had also defeated third seed Coco Gauff in straight sets earlier in the tournament, making her run to the last four particularly impressive.
The Belgian will now face Zheng for a place in the China Open final, setting up a significant test for the home favourite as she seeks to continue her resurgence.
Beijing crowd backs home favourite
Zheng’s victory provides a major boost for Chinese tennis supporters, who have watched the Olympic champion battle through a demanding draw to reach the final four.
With Mertens standing between her and a place in the final, Zheng will need to maintain the aggressive approach that proved decisive against Svitolina.
The semi-final will offer the Chinese star another opportunity to turn home-court support into a deep run at one of the WTA Tour’s major tournaments.