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Zheng Qinwen Stuns Swiatek, Reaches US Open Quarter-Finals
Confirmed
In Short: Zheng Qinwen overcame a 5-0 deficit to defeat Iga Swiatek and advance to the US Open quarter-finals.
Zheng Qinwen produced one of the biggest comebacks of the 2026 US Open, recovering from a 5-0 deficit in the first set to defeat eighth-seeded Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3. The 23-year-old from China, who had previously lost to Swiatek in the semi-finals of the 2024 Olympics, had also won a set from 5-0 down in her previous match against Madison Keys. Zheng, the reigning Olympic champion and former world number four, had struggled to regain her best form following elbow surgery in July 2025, but her performance at the US Open has been nothing short of remarkable.
Swiatek, the 2022 US Open champion and six-time Grand Slam winner, appeared in control after racing to a 5-0 lead, but Zheng won seven straight games to snatch the first set 7-5. The second set was on serve until the seventh game, when Zheng crushed a powerful backhand return winner to secure a crucial break, and she broke again two games later to complete the victory. Zheng's only win in eight previous meetings against Swiatek was in the semi-finals of the 2024 Olympics on her way to singles gold in Paris.
Zheng's performance has been a testament to her resilience and fighting spirit. "The more matches I play, the more rhythm I have on court," she said after the match. For Swiatek, 25, a fourth-round exit is a disappointing end to her Grand Slam season, with a quarter-final appearance at the Australian Open her best result. Zheng will face either Naomi Osaka or Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals, setting up a potential clash with another former champion.
Zheng's journey to the quarter-finals is a remarkable story in itself. She had to come through three qualifying matches to reach the main draw and has matched her best ever performance at the US Open. The most recent qualifier to reach this stage of the women's draw at the US Open was Great Britain's Emma Raducanu, who went on to win the title in 2021. Zheng's victory over Swiatek is a testament to her determination and ability to perform under pressure.
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- And Zheng is not the first female qualifier to perform well at a Grand Slam in 2026 - Poland's Maja Chwalinska, who began the French Open at 114th in the world, lost to Russian teenager Andreeva in the final at Roland Garros.
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- Zheng won despite landing just 43 per cent of her first serves.
- Reflecting on losing the first set to Zheng, Swiatek said she simply missed too many shots after going 5-0 up.
- Zheng refused to let it go as she pulled off one of the best wins of her career, reaching the quarter‑finals of the US Open with a 7-5, 6-3 victory.
- Somehow, two days later, Zheng repeated the trick in her very next set against a greater opponent.