Lexus Nottingham Open 2026: Former top 10 stars Qinwen Zheng and Emma Navarro get off to a winning start
• 3 minute read
Former world No.4 Qinwen Zheng and world No.8 Emma Navarro picked up first round wins in Nottingham as they both continue their journey back to the sport.
Both players fought back from a set down to move through in three sets, with Zheng beating sixth seed and three time quarter-finalist Maria Sakkari 4-6, 7-6(1), 6-4 and Navarro defeating qualifier Anna Bondar 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-2.
Zheng, who’s ranking now sits at 160, played just 16 matches since losing out in the first round of Wimbledon last year due to a surgery to help chronic pain in her right elbow.
The Chinese star has struggled to find consistent form since making her comeback at the beginning of the year, and lost in a first round defeat at the HSBC Championships last week. Zheng made the semi-finals at The Queen's Club last year and will be hoping her opening round win in Nottingham spurs her on to some standout runs on the grass.
“Well it was a really difficult match. Maria played really good tennis. The score was really close and I’m just really happy to catch those important points because I wasn’t able to do that in my last tournament at Queens.”
“I’m just playing every match, trying to fight. On grass, anything can happen, it’s not easy for me so I just want to enjoy the tennis and I also have to say thanks again for all those who came out to support me and let’s see how I do in the next match.”
The former Olympic champion fired down ten aces on her way to a closely fought first round win over former US Open semi-finalist Sakkari.
With just one break for the sixth seed being the difference in the first set, the second set continued in the same vein as it headed for a tie-break. The five-time WTA titleholder reeled off five points in a row at 2-1 including a final forehand winner down the line to take the match to a decider.
The third set was another tight battle but Zheng looked incredibly effective on serve - dropping just just six points on her serve. She then found the breakthrough with her fourth break point of the game to move 5-4 before serving it out to book her place in the second round on her tournament debut.
Navarro returned to the tour at the Italian Open after taking some time away due to health concerns but has hit the ground running fast - picking up her third WTA title.
The American won the WTA 500 tournament on the clay in Strasbourg, defeating top seed and rising star Victoria Mboko in three sets.
The world No.25 boats a 22-11 win record on grass including quarter-final runs at Wimbledon (2024) and the HSBC Championships (2025) but is still hutning down a maiden title on the surface.
“It feels good,” Navarro said following her first round win. “I enjoy playing on the grass a lot, I think I’m working a lot on building and improving my level and I definitely have ups and downs but I feel good about the path I’m headed on.
“I was proud of my fight today, it was tough to lose the first set. I had two set points and came close to closing out, but came out in the second set planning on playing a third and just stayed really tough.”
“I enjoy playing on grass, I think it requires good footwork, good movement, strength and endurance, athleticism – kind of all the things that I work hard on so I enjoy putting those things to the test.”
“I’ve enjoyed my time a lot. I always enjoy coming to the UK, it’s always a good time so I’m happy to be here”
Navarro came through a close first set, having missed two set points in the tie-break before the qualifier was able to take her chance on the first ask.
The American kept the pressure up in the second to create chances on the Hungarian’s serve and was rewarded with the deciding break at 4-2 before a hold to love levelled the match.
Navarro came out fighting in the final set, rattling off the first four games and fending off a break point chance in the process. From there, it was a case of holding on to the lead before rounding up the match with another love hold.
Navarro will face Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva in the second round after she knocked out last year’s Lexus Eastbourne Open champion in three sets while Zheng will face Talia Gibson after she came through in three sets against Francesca Jones.
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