Zheng Qinwen staged an impressive comeback at the US Open, toppling six-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3 to secure her spot in the quarter-finals. Swiatek initially seemed to have the upper hand, surging to a 5-0 lead in the first set. Yet, Zheng turned the tables dramatically, clinching seven consecutive games to claim the set. She carried her momentum into the second set, sealing a victory that marks one of the most significant achievements of her career.
This victory is all the more noteworthy as it mirrors Zheng’s previous round performance against Madison Keys, where she also rallied from a 5-0 deficit in the deciding set to win seven straight games. Zheng’s entry into the tournament came under challenging circumstances, as she was recovering from an elbow injury and surgery that had plummeted her ranking to as low as No. 160 earlier this year. Starting the US Open from the qualifying rounds, her perseverance has paid off.
At 23, Zheng is making waves again on the tennis scene, having previously won Olympic gold in Paris and reached the Australian Open final in 2024. With seven consecutive match victories in New York, she is rapidly becoming a formidable contender. Her next challenge will be against second seed Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals.
Rybakina secured her quarter-final berth with a dominant performance, defeating two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka 6-1, 6-4. During their encounter, Rybakina showcased powerful, consistent tennis, hitting 29 winners in just over an hour of play. Osaka, meanwhile, struggled with her serve and was hampered by Achilles pain throughout the match.
In another match, fifth seed Mirra Andreeva advanced to the US Open quarter-finals for the first time by overcoming Austria’s Anastasia Potapova with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 victory. As the tournament progresses, the competition intensifies, with each player aiming to leave their mark on this prestigious event.
