Zheng Qinwen stuns Swiatek with a second straight 5-0 comeback at the US Open

[Frost Jay]

Qualifier Zheng Qinwen produced another stunning comeback at the US Open, beating eighth seed and six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals, after falling behind 5-0 in the opening set. It was the second consecutive match in which Zheng recovered from that exact same 5-0 deficit, having won the last seven games of a deciding set to beat Madison Keys, saving a match point in the process, in the previous round

Zheng, an Olympic gold medallist and former world number four now ranked 121st following elbow surgery last year, reeled off seven straight games to take the first set from Swiatek before breaking her twice more in the second to close out the win in one hour and 56 minutes. She becomes the first qualifier to reach the US Open quarterfinals since Emma Raducanu's famous 2021 run. Zheng said she started the match not so well, adding little by little I found my rhythm on the center court because it's been a long, long time, and that she genuinely didn't expect the comeback but somehow it's just happening again

Swiatek, the 2022 US Open champion, left Arthur Ashe Stadium in tears after the loss, continuing a difficult recent pattern of major tournament disappointments since her Wimbledon title last year. Zheng now faces world number two Elena Rybakina, who beat two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka 6-1, 6-4 and leads their head-to-head 4-1, including two wins this year alone. Curious what people think is actually driving this specific pattern for Zheng, genuine improved mental resilience after a tough injury comeback, or simply a hot and streaky run that's unlikely to continue against a tougher opponent in Rybakina

Zheng shocks Swiatek in another incredible US Open comebackgulfnews.com