China’s Zheng signals return to form with unexpected run to US Open quarter-finals

NEW YORK - From the qualifying courts to the quarter-final stage, Zheng Qinwen exited the US Open on Sept 9 having sparked a career comeback, enjoying a return to form in a run few expected in New York.

The Olympic champion rode a rollercoaster of career ups and downs over the last two years, slipping from the top 10 in 2024 to 121st in the world after an elbow injury that threatened to completely derail her career.

But an uninspiring 2026 campaign riddled with early exits gave way to one of the more compelling stories of the year’s final Grand Slam, where she became the first qualifier since Emma Raducanu in 2021 to reach the last eight.

“The good thing is, I know how to compete better than before than the beginning of the year,” said Zheng, who lost to second seed Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 on Sept 9.

“In the beginning of the year, I was a bit totally out of tournament, like, rhythm, and obviously this tournament helps me to find myself little by little.”

Zheng became the tournament’s ultimate escape artist, coming back from a five-game deficit in the deciding set to stun third-round foe Madison Keys and again in the opening set of her fourth-round match to topple six-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek.

With the Asia swing coming up on the calendar, she can expect a hero’s welcome at home as one of China’s brightest tennis stars.

“I am always so excited to play in China, and especially coming from qualifying (for the) US Open and then reaching until here. That was a really, really difficult journey for me,” she told reporters.

“I just want to keep calm and just train day by day, focus match by match, focus on the present, because when your mind is trying to go everywhere, thinking too much, that’s not helping.” REUTERS