A stunning turnaround
Zheng Qinwen, the Olympic gold medalist from China, engineered a dramatic comeback at the US Open on Saturday, defeating Madison Keys 1-6, 7-6 (7/3), 7-5. Trailing 0-5 in the final set, Zheng saved a match point and won the last seven games to secure her place in the fourth round.[S1][S2]
The 23-year-old, who had to qualify after a lengthy recovery from elbow surgery, said she felt she had forgotten how to compete during her absence. She admitted to crying after winning her third qualifying match, and against Keys, she initially feared a 6-0 defeat.[S1]
Keys' struggles and Zheng's resilience
Keys, ranked 22nd, took a commanding lead with an early break and then broke again for a 4-0 lead in a game Zheng had led 40-0. Keys held for 5-0, but Zheng saved a match point at 5-1 and kept fighting. Keys admitted she got scared and felt she couldn't play tennis anymore.[S1][S2]
Zheng, currently ranked 121st, said she saw doubt in Keys' game and felt a surge of energy. She emphasized the lesson that in tennis, you must concentrate on every point, regardless of the score.[S1]
What's next for Zheng
Zheng will face either six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek or Czech Marie Bouzkova for a place in the quarter-finals. She is the first qualifier to reach the US Open women's singles fourth round since Emma Raducanu, who went on to win the title in 2021.[S2]
