Zheng Qinwen delivered a stunning comeback performance at the US Open, overcoming six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek with a 7-5, 6-3 victory to advance to the quarter-finals. Initially, Swiatek seemed unstoppable, securing a commanding 5-0 advantage in the first set. Yet, Zheng remarkably shifted the momentum, capturing seven consecutive games to clinch the set. Her momentum continued into the second set, where she secured one of the most significant wins of her career.
This victory is even more impressive considering Zheng’s previous round against Madison Keys, where she executed a similar comeback. In that match, Keys had taken a 5-0 lead in the deciding set before Zheng rallied to win seven straight games. Zheng’s journey in the tournament has been remarkable, especially since she entered the US Open facing challenges. Earlier this year, an elbow injury and subsequent surgery had caused her ranking to drop as low as No. 160, forcing her to start from the qualifying rounds.
The 23-year-old, who had previously won Olympic gold in Paris and reached the 2024 Australian Open final, is now gaining attention as a formidable contender in New York, having secured seven matches so far. Her next challenge will be against second seed Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals. Rybakina secured her spot in the last eight with a commanding 6-1, 6-4 win over two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka. Rybakina’s powerful and consistent play, marked by 29 winners in just 66 minutes, proved too much for Osaka, who struggled with her serve and was hampered by Achilles pain.
In other matches, fifth seed Mirra Andreeva also made her way to the US Open quarter-finals for the first time, defeating Austria’s Anastasia Potapova 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. The tournament continues to unfold with unexpected turns and promising performances, as emerging talents like Zheng and Andreeva make their mark on the grand stage.