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Agence France-Presse

Zheng Qinwen’s storming run through qualifying to the US Open quarter-finals has the 2024 Olympic gold medallist finally feeling like a force on the court again.
The Chinese star fell in three sets to Elena Rybakina on Wednesday, but her time in New York was a leap in the right direction for the former world No 4.
After her lengthy recovery from elbow surgery last year was followed by a string indifferent results, Zheng’s ranking dropped so low that she had to come through three qualifying rounds to make the US Open main draw: tough on her ego but apparently positive for her game.
“I think the good thing is I know how to compete better than at the beginning of the year,” Zheng said.
“I was a bit out of tournament rhythm, and, obviously, this tournament helped me to find myself little by little.”
Zheng’s run to the last eight included a remarkable third-round comeback victory over 2025 Australian Open champion Madison Keys, who held a 5-0 lead in the final set only for Zheng to win the last seven games for a 1-6, 7-6, 7-5 triumph.
Zheng saved a match point in that contest, and in her next put together another seven-game run in the opening set as she stunned six-time grand slam champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3.
“I think tennis gives me a lesson all the time that [as long as] the match is not over, you just have to keep fighting,” she said.
“Second thing is, I think there is so much more I still have to improve.”

Those were the positives Zheng said she was taking despite her disappointment in the wake of her loss to Kazakhstan’s Rybakina, who is set to end Aryna Sabalenka’s 99-week reign as World No 1 after booking a semi-final date with 2023 champion Coco Gauff.
“There were some decisions in important moments I [didn’t get] right,” Zheng said of the Rybakina contest. “It was also very physical match for me.
“I could take some positive things, and the rest I could go back and [see] what I could do better.”
Currently ranked world No 121, Zheng is projected to break into the top 60 on the strength of her New York showing, just in time for the WTA Tour’s Asian swing, which features four tournaments in China, including 1000 level events in Beijing and Wuhan.
“I’m always so excited to play in China, especially coming from qualifiers at the US Open [to the quarter-finals),” Zheng said.
“That was a really, really difficult journey for me. Playing at home, I’m always more motivated, and also carry some pressure, because I really want to do well there.
“I just want to keep calm and train day by day, focus match by match, [and] focus on the present.”


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Sport

Tennis

Chinese star beaten by new world No 1 Elena Rybakina in three sets but poised for top 60 return following New York exploits


Chinese star beaten by new world No 1 Elena Rybakina in three sets but poised for top 60 return following New York exploits.


Zheng Qinwen

Madison Keys

Elena Rybakina

Iga Swiatek

Resurgent Zheng Qinwen takes positives from storming US Open run

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Chinese star beaten by new world No 1 Elena Rybakina in three sets but poised for top 60 return following New York exploits

Chinese star beaten by new world No 1 Elena Rybakina in three sets but poised for top 60 return following New York exploits