In a remarkable display of resilience at the US Open, Zheng Qinwen orchestrated a comeback to defeat six-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek with a score of 7-5, 6-3, securing her spot in the quarter-finals. Swiatek initially seemed to dominate the match, leading 5-0 in the first set. However, Zheng reversed the momentum spectacularly, winning seven consecutive games to claim the set. She sustained this intensity into the second set, achieving one of the most significant victories of her career.
Zheng’s impressive performance is underscored by a similar comeback against Madison Keys in the previous round, where she overcame a 5-0 deficit in the deciding set by winning seven straight games. This marks a notable achievement for Zheng, who faced challenges earlier in the year due to an elbow injury and subsequent surgery, causing her ranking to plummet to No. 160. Despite these setbacks, she began the US Open as a qualifier and has now triumphed in seven matches in New York, re-establishing herself as a formidable competitor.
The 23-year-old athlete, who previously clinched Olympic gold in Paris and reached the final of the 2024 Australian Open, is set to face second seed Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals. Rybakina secured her quarter-final position with a decisive 6-1, 6-4 win over Naomi Osaka, a two-time US Open champion. Rybakina’s performance was marked by powerful and precise tennis, as she delivered 29 winners in just 66 minutes. Meanwhile, Osaka struggled with her service game and was hindered by Achilles pain.
Additionally, the US Open saw fifth seed Mirra Andreeva advance to the quarter-finals for the first time, following a hard-fought victory against Austria’s Anastasia Potapova. Andreeva rallied from a set down to win 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, further intensifying the competition in this year’s tournament.