The unseeded Chinese star produced a composed performance to overcome the 13th-seeded Mertens, winning in straight sets at the WTA 1000 tournament as her impressive return from an elbow injury continued.
Zheng will now face fourth seed Mirra Andreeva in Sunday’s final, with the opportunity to claim her first WTA 1000 title on home soil.
Zheng withstands Mertens’ first-set challenge
Zheng made an encouraging start, breaking Mertens’ serve to establish a 4–2 advantage in the opening set.
However, the Belgian fought back to level the score, forcing Zheng to maintain her concentration as the contest tightened.
The Chinese player responded by moving ahead 6–5 before applying further pressure with her powerful cross-court forehand. Mertens eventually sent a shot into the net, allowing Zheng to secure the decisive break and take the opening set 7–5.
The late surge proved crucial, giving the home favourite the momentum she needed to take control of the match.
Home favourite dominates second set
Zheng raised her level in the second set, putting Mertens under sustained pressure and limiting the Belgian’s opportunities to recover.
The 24-year-old maintained her aggressive approach from the baseline and converted her advantage into a 6–2 set victory, sealing her place in the final.
The result marks a significant milestone for Chinese tennis, as Zheng becomes the first Chinese player to reach the China Open women’s singles final since the tournament began in Beijing.
Andreeva awaits in the final
Zheng’s opponent will be Russia’s Mirra Andreeva, who defeated Czech teenager Nikola Bartunkova 6–2, 6–2 in the other semi-final.
The fourth seed delivered a commanding display, hitting 27 winners and committing 10 fewer unforced errors than Bartunkova to progress in one hour and 14 minutes.
Zheng and Andreeva have met before in Beijing, with the Chinese player winning their 2024 quarter-final encounter.
The rematch now offers Zheng an opportunity to turn her strong home-court run into a major title, while Andreeva will be aiming to add another WTA 1000 trophy to her growing collection.
Zheng targets first WTA 1000 title at home
Having returned to competition after an elbow injury, Zheng has made the most of her wildcard entry, overcoming several difficult opponents to reach the final.
Her victory over Mertens continues a resurgence that has brought renewed excitement among Chinese supporters.
With the final scheduled for Sunday, Zheng will have the chance to make further history by becoming the first Chinese singles champion of the Beijing tournament.