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Josh Ball

Stephy Zhang

Zheng Qinwen has described her slow return to form as a painful rebirth that left her questioning herself and led to “uncomfortable conversations” with her parents and coaches.
After months of struggling on the tour, the Chinese star has returned to form at the US Open, and produced a second thrilling win in a matter of days on Monday in New York, battling back from 5-0 down to beat Iga Swiatek in straight sets to reach the quarter-finals.
The former world No 4 has been in such poor form for the past year, that she had dropped to 125th in the rankings and needed to come through qualifying just to reach the main draw.
Now the 23-year-old is the first qualifier to reach the last eight since Emma Raducanu came through from nowhere to win the tournament in 2021.
“I think the process of rebuilding myself is a very painful one, especially when I constantly have to face failure: OK, it’s not just one loss, the next match, OK, you lose again, and you have to ask yourself why all the effort you put in seems useless. And then comes the next match,” Zheng said in an interview with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
“I think, for me, these past three or four months have been basically the worst period of results in my career. Even when I talk to myself, [I] find it unbelievable: why did it turn out like this? Is it simply because I was injured for so long without touching a tennis racquet, and my muscle memory was so slow to return?”

Before rolling through the likes of Swiatek and Madison Keys, who she beat after fighting off match point in the fourth round, Zheng’s best result this year was reaching the quarter-finals at the Athens Open in July.
And there had been little to suggest a change in fortunes was in the offing, with the Olympic champion losing to Thailand’s Lanlana Tararudee in the first round of qualifying at the National Bank Open in Toronto at the start of August.
In fact, there were even fears last year’s elbow surgery had left Zheng without the powers that took her to the final of the Australian Open in 2024, and into the elite of the women’s game.
“Even when I got injured as a kid, I was out for maybe a month at most. But this time, it was three, four, or even five months where I barely touched a racquet,” Zheng said. “When I came back after that, it felt ... I often describe it as completely losing all my form, and then having to rebuild step by step from scratch.
“So, I often tell myself that this is a process of rebirth. Even now, looking back, I don’t really want to recall that period. Whether it was my parents or the team around me, we all went through a lot of uncomfortable conversations. I was also waiting to see when I could return to form. That’s why these recent victories are truly important to me, they are immensely encouraging.”
After her most recent win on Monday, a 7-5, 6-3 triumph over Swiatek, Zheng said she had even forgotten “the score in the first set”.
“It shows how focused I am. I guess to come back last time is not lucky,” Zheng added.

While Swiatek, who fell to Zheng in the gold medal match in Paris two years ago, left the Arthur Ashe Stadium in tears, her Chinese opponent revelled in being back on centre court.
“I just really appreciate being here in the Arthur Ashe Stadium,” she said. “It has been a while that I didn’t beat any top 10 player, so I’m just happy to win this match. It’s not easy.”
Next up for Zheng is second seed Elena Rybakina, who cruised past Naomi Osaka 6-1, 6-4 in just 66 minutes, and the Chinese star said she would approach the match with the same attitude as she has done for the past week and more at Flushing Meadows.
“I would say right now, the most important challenge for me is to keep this humble and be there, fight like I have nothing,” Zheng said.
“The reality is you are just 125 [in the world], so you are not the top 10 you were before. Don’t treat yourself so high. You are here as everyone else. You start from the ground, so stay there and keep fighting.”


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US Open (tennis)

Zheng Qinwen says return to form ‘painful process’ after win over Iga Swiatek at US Open

Zheng Qinwen is all smiles after her stunning US Open women’s singles victory over Iga Swiatek. Photo: EPA

Before the US Open, Zheng Qinwen’s best result this year was reaching the quarter-finals at the Athens Open in July. Photo: AFP

Iga Swiatek hits a return during her women’s singles clash with Zheng Qinwen. Photo: EPA

Sport

Tennis

‘I think, for me, these past three or four months have been basically the worst period of results in my career,’ former world No 4 says


‘I think, for me, these past three or four months have been basically the worst period of results in my career,’ former world No 4 says.


Zheng Qinwen says return to form ‘painful process’ after win over Iga Swiatek at US Open

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}‘I think, for me, these past three or four months have been basically the worst period of results in my career,’ former world No 4 says

‘I think, for me, these past three or four months have been basically the worst period of results in my career,’ former world No 4 says