NEW YORK (AP) — Zheng Qinwen made a daring escape from a 5-0 deficit for the second straight match, with this comeback sending her back into the U.S. Open quarterfinals.
The Olympic gold medalist from China beat No. 8 seed Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3 on Monday to become the first qualifier to reach the final eight in Flushing Meadows since Emma Raducanu won the title in 2021.
Two days after she was down 5-0 in the third set before winning the final seven games
to stun No. 22 Madison Keys 1-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5, Zheng quickly dropped the first five games against Swiatek, the 2022 U.S. Open champion.
“I guess to come back 0-5 yesterday is not lucky, that’s all I can say,” Zheng said.
Swiatek couldn't convert two set points serving at 5-1 and Zheng fought off another when Swiatek served with a 5-3 lead. She said she was so focused on each point that she even forgot the score.
Zheng was a U.S. Open quarterfinalist in 2023 and 2024 but after elbow surgery had to go through qualifying this year to reach the main draw. Raducanu's title five years ago made her the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title in the Open era, which dates to 1968.
Swiatek came in with a 7-1 record against Zheng, with the only loss two years ago in the Olympic semifinals in Paris. Zheng came back from a 4-0 deficit in the second set that day to stop Swiatek’s 25-match winning streak at Roland Garros, where she has won four French Open titles.
Zheng will play either two-time champion Naomi Osaka or No. 2 Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals.
French Open champion Mirra Andreeva came back to beat No. 24 Anastasia Potapova 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 and the No. 5 seed will face either No. 4 Coco Gauff or No. 14 Iva Jovic. The two Americans meet Monday night in the opening match of the night session.
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