Zheng's improbable comeback
On Saturday at the US Open in New York, Qinwen Zheng, the 2024 Olympic gold medalist from China, engineered a stunning turnaround against No. 22 seed Madison Keys. Trailing 5-0 in the third set, Zheng won the next seven games to secure a 1-6, 7-6, 7-5 victory in two hours and 28 minutes, advancing to the fourth round.[S1]
Zheng held serve while down 5-0, then saved a match point when Keys served at 5-1. She broke the 2017 US Open runner-up three times during her seven-game run. After the match, Zheng said she kept telling herself to hold every point and never give up, and that it happened little by little.[S1]
Zheng, who was ranked as high as No. 4 in 2024 after reaching the Australian Open final and winning Olympic gold, has dropped to No. 121 following right elbow surgery. She had to go through qualifying to reach the main draw. She acknowledged the tough months since surgery, saying she felt she lost some energy on court, but credited her team for their hard work.[S1]
Other upsets and winners
Zheng was not the only player to pull an upset. No. 24 seed Anastasia Potapova, who now represents Austria, defeated No. 10 Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 7-5 in one hour and 39 minutes. Potapova, who nearly fell out of the top 100 this spring, has climbed back into the top 25 and reached the US Open fourth round for the first time.[S1]
Potapova said in her press conference that the pre-match tactics did not match her game, but she managed to use them well, calling it one of her best matches. Anisimova, who reached the Wimbledon and US Open finals in 2025, converted only three of 16 break-point chances, while Potapova converted six of eight. Potapova next faces No. 5 seed Mirra Andreeva.[S1]
No. 4 seed Coco Gauff defeated unseeded Cristina Bucsa 6-3, 6-4 to reach the Round of 16 for the fifth consecutive year. Gauff said she is used to reaching the second week now and feels good not being tired. She has not dropped a set this year and acknowledged the pressure of being an American, saying it makes the tournament even more special.[S1]
Jovic outlasts Eala in marathon
Gauff's next opponent will be fellow American Iva Jovic, the 14th seed, who battled from a break down in the third set to beat 17th-seeded Alexandra Eala of the Philippines 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 in a match lasting over three hours. Eala, who won her first WTA title at the DC Open last month, saw her run end.[S1]
Jovic said in her on-court interview that the match felt like a marathon and that she lost her sanity five times over, but it was worth it for the feeling. She added that she usually does not show many emotions, but this one meant a lot to her.[S1]
Also on Saturday, No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan defeated unseeded Yuliia Starodubtseva of Ukraine 7-6, 6-3, hitting 12 aces. No. 13 seed Naomi Osaka of Japan overcame 23rd-seeded Elise Mertens of Belgium 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, with more aces and fewer double faults.[S1]
