Beatriz Haddad Maia beats Zheng Qinwen to win WTA Elite Trophy

ZHUHAI, China — Beatriz Haddad Maia secures her third career tour title after a thrilling victory over seventh-seeded Zheng Qinwen in the WTA Elite Trophy finals on Sunday.

The Brazilian, who entered the tournament as the eighth seed, outlasted Zheng in a tight battle that lasted for 2 hours and 51 minutes, ultimately putting an end to the top Chinese player’s eight-match winning streak.

Haddad Maia, currently ranked 19th in the world, sailed through the tournament with ease, securing her fourth consecutive straight-sets win. She stunned second-seeded Madison Keys in the opening match, followed by victories over Caroline Garcia and 17th-ranked Daria Kasatkina in the semifinals, ultimately winning her group.

This victory marks Haddad Maia’s first title on hard courts since her triumph in Birmingham in 2022.

For Haddad Maia, her dominant performance in Zhuhai signifies a noteworthy comeback after a series of disappointing outings in the tour’s recent Asia swing. Prior to this achievement, she had only managed a single win in three previous tournaments.

Meanwhile, Zheng, who claimed victory at the Zhengzhou Open earlier this month and secured the gold medal at the Asian Games in September, became the second Chinese player in history to reach the final of the WTA Elite Trophy, following in the footsteps of Wang Qiang who finished as the runner-up to former world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty in 2018.

The 12-player tournament, which featured the 11 highest-ranked singles players who didn’t qualify for the upcoming WTA Finals in Cancun, Mexico, served as the inaugural postseason event on the women’s tour. As a wild-card entry, Zhu Lin was the final participant.