Zheng Qinwen retires against Noskova in China Open third round

BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Home favorite Zheng Qinwen retired from her third-round match against Czech player Linda Noskova while trailing 6-4, 3-6, 3-0 at the China Open on Monday.

Noskova, 20, claimed the opening set 6-4 before Zheng responded with a 6-3 second set to level the contest. But the seventh seed, struggling early in the decider, called it quits after falling behind 3-0, sending her opponent through to last 16.

Zheng, 22, world No. 9 and the reigning Olympic champion, was making her third appearance in Beijing. She had reached the semifinals here in 2024, but her 2025 season has been disrupted by injuries and surgery that forced her to miss the US Open and several other events.

Noskova, who ranks 27th in the world, knocked out another Chinese player, Wang Xiyu, in the previous round. The Czech will next face Russia's Anastasia Potapova for a place in the quarterfinals.

It was Zheng's third career meeting with Noskova, having won both of their previous encounters before Monday's setback.