Errani and Paolini rally to repeat as Beijing champions

In the fading light of Beijing’s National Tennis Center, Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini stepped onto the court with the weight of uncharted history on their shoulders. No women’s doubles team had ever defended the China Open title before, yet this Italian duo, fresh from a whirlwind year of Grand Slam glory and Olympic gold, refused to buckle. Facing Fanny Stollar and Miyu Kato in the final, they absorbed a first-set tiebreak loss but surged back to claim a 6-7(1), 6-3, 10-2 victory in 1 hour and 34 minutes, their third WTA 1000 doubles crown of the season after triumphs in Doha and Rome.

Rallying through tiebreak tension

The opening set unfolded as a gritty baseline battle on the medium-paced hard courts, where Stollar’s flat groundstrokes and Kato’s sharp returns forced Errani and Paolini into defensive crosscourt exchanges. Despite matching their opponents in winners, the Italians went 0-for-5 on break points and racked up unforced errors, allowing the Hungarian-Japanese pair to dominate the tiebreak with seven of eight points. Yet subtle edges emerged—fewer errors overall by 13 and more total points won in the set—hinting at the composure that would soon shift the momentum, much like their dominant path to the final, where they dropped just five games in the opener against lower seeds.

In the semifinals, Errani and Paolini had dismantled No. 4 seeds Hsieh Su-Wei and Jelena Ostapenko, blanking them in the second set with precise 1–2 patterns that drew weak second serves for aggressive volleys. Beijing’s Scores, Draws, and Order of play had chronicled this controlled run, building anticipation for a final where tactical adjustments would prove decisive. As the crowd’s murmurs swelled under the autumn chill, the duo reset, channeling the mental fortitude honed across clay and hard-court swings.

Balancing dual-career demands

Paolini’s season has blurred the lines between formats, her doubles success intertwined with a singles slate that includes two WTA 1000 titles since 2024, finals at Wimbledon and Roland Garros, and a runner-up finish in Cincinnati. This victory marks her 10th career WTA doubles title—ninth alongside Errani—and their fourth of 2025, including the French Open. Over the past 16 months, the pair has amassed a Grand Slam, Olympic gold, and five WTA 1000 trophies, all while navigating the physical toll of recovery from prolonged rallies one day to plotting inside-out forehands the next.

Errani, whose ledger now boasts 36 WTA doubles titles, six Grand Slams, 10 WTA 1000s, three mixed doubles majors, and a 2012 French Open singles final appearance, values this partnership deeply. Their synergy thrives on the hard courts here, where Errani’s underspin slices force opponents into awkward down-the-line defenses, opening angles for Paolini’s versatile net approaches. As they hold steady at No. 5 in the PIF WTA Doubles Rankings, gaining ground on the top four and securing spots in the WTA Finals in Riyadh this November, mutual support becomes their edge against the tour’s relentless pace.

For Stollar and Kato, the final capped a surprising surge, with Stollar set to reach a career-high No. 31—up six spots—and Kato climbing 14 to No. 43 when rankings update on Monday. Their clinical first-set play rewarded the risk, but the Italians’ experience in high-pressure tiebreaks prevailed.

Champions in Beijing 2 years in a row 🏆 👏#2025ChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/gigK2x1WJm

— wta (@WTA) October 5, 2025

Sealing a historic Beijing reign

The second set marked a clear pivot, as Errani and Paolini converted two of five break points without facing a single threat on serve, tightening their returns to disrupt Kato’s poaching at net. This efficiency—2-for-10 overall on breaks—stemmed from fewer crosscourt errors and bolder inside-in forehands that exploited the surface’s consistent bounce. In the match tiebreak, they raced to a 4-0 lead, stretching it to 9-2 with down-the-line passes that pinned the opposition, closing out the win before the shadows lengthened across the court.

Errani paused during the ceremony to acknowledge the Beijing faithful, whose sustained energy through multiple matches infused the atmosphere with warmth. “And thanks of course to the crowd. It was amazing to play on this court in front of a lot of people. Thanks for staying for so many matches and giving us a lot of love.” This first-ever defense in China Open women’s doubles history underscores a bond forged in shared sacrifices, where every point feels like a statement against overload.

As #2025ChinaOpen celebrations echoed on October 5, 2025, via pic.twitter.com/gigK2x1WJm, the duo looks ahead to Riyadh, their story of transmuting pressure into power far from over. With Errani’s steady guidance and Paolini’s boundless drive, they remain a force, ready to elevate each other through whatever the hard-court season demands next.