BEIJING — Mirra Andreeva advanced to the final of the China Open on October 10 with a commanding 6-2, 6-2 victory over Nikola Bartunkova in the semifinals, positioning herself to rise to a career-high world No. 3 ranking next week. The 19-year-old Russian will face China’s Zheng Qinwen, who defeated Belgium’s Elise Mertens 7-5, 6-2 in the other semifinal, in the final scheduled for October 11.
Andreeva, currently ranked No. 5, has joined an elite group of players this season alongside Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, and Jessica Pegula, as one of only four to reach five WTA finals in 2026. Her semifinal performance was marked by dominance from start to finish, as Bartunkova, ranked 34th, struggled with consistency, committing 20 unforced errors and double-faulting twice early in the match. Andreeva capitalized with 27 winners, quickly building a 4-0 lead in the opening set.
Reflecting on the match, Andreeva described Bartunkova as a “tricky opponent” capable of surprising shots but emphasized her own determination to remain composed and aggressive. Before the match, she said she relaxed by playing the card game Uno with her coach, Conchita Martinez, who has been instrumental in refining Andreeva’s game, particularly her return of serve. This strategic focus has contributed to Andreeva leading the WTA Tour in break points converted in 2026, with 301 breaks during main-draw matches.
“Andreeva said, “Every practice we try to improve everything,” highlighting the ongoing development in her return game to apply pressure even against strong servers. She added that the progress has been steady, crediting Martinez for the initiative and expressing enthusiasm about continued improvement.
Andreeva’s breakthrough season includes her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros earlier this year and qualification for the prestigious season-ending WTA Finals at Indian Wells in November. She will join Rybakina, Sabalenka, Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, and four other players yet to be determined.
As the fourth seed and highest-ranked player remaining at the China Open following upsets that saw the elimination of several top contenders, Andreeva is favored to claim the title in Beijing.
Elsewhere in Chinese tournaments, Russian Daniil Medvedev rebounded at the Shanghai Masters with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff on October 10. This marked Medvedev’s first contested match since his disqualification from the China Open semifinal on October 5, where he was defaulted for accidentally striking a spectator with a ball. Medvedev will next face Czech qualifier Dalibor Svrcina.
Also at Shanghai, second seed Carlos Alcaraz began his campaign with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo and is set to meet Belgian Zizou Bergs in the following round. The world No. 3 expressed satisfaction with his performance despite limited preparation time, aiming to build momentum for the remainder of the tournament.