Absent since Wimbledon, Zheng makes successful return in Beijing

It was a highly anticipated comeback. Since her last appearance at Wimbledon, Qinwen Zheng had not stepped on the court due to an elbow injury.

But on the Beijing surface, the defending semifinalist dispelled doubts by defeating Colombia's Emiliana Arango in two controlled sets: 6-3, 6-2.

Facing Arango, a lucky loser from the qualifiers, Zheng executed her game without faltering. Solid serve, ultra-efficient on break points (6/6), all completed in 1 hour and 24 minutes of play.

The next obstacle in her path? Linda Noskova (27th), a young Czech talent with explosive gameplay. The Chinese player will thus aim to build momentum at home and surpass her best result in the capital.