Zheng Qinwen Photo: Official website of US Open

China's Zheng Qinwen staged a remarkable comeback from 0-5 down in the opening set to beat eighth seed and former champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3 on Tuesday and reach the US Open quarter-finals for the third time.

The dramatic victory marks Zheng's third quarter-final appearance at the US Open, matching her personal best result at the US Open after reaching the same stage in 2023 and 2024. She remains the only unseeded player left in the women's singles quarter-final lineup.

In the opening set, Zheng was broken twice on serve and fell behind Swiatek 0-5 before mounting a stunning comeback by reeling off seven straight games to take the set and a 1-0 lead in the match. In the second set, Zheng broke first and eventually closed out a 6-3 victory over Swiatek.

The US Open's official account on X praised the performance as "Extraordinary" and posted "Spider-Man: Zheng New Day."

The result quickly became the top trending topic on Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo, with netizens celebrating her return to the last eight.

"This is indeed a miracle in the history of tennis!" Chinese netizens commented on Weibo.

In a post-match interview, Zheng dismissed suggestions that her incredible comeback was down to luck, highlighting her tactical adjustments and mental resilience at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where she had not competed for an extended period.

"I guess coming back from 0-5 was not lucky," Zheng said, dropping her racket and collapsing to the court in celebration after the historic win.

"I didn't start the match so well, but little by little I found my rhythm on this center court, because it's been a long, long time since I've played here. I really appreciate being back in Arthur Ashe Stadium," she added.

"I just focused point by point, found my game and in one moment I even forgot the score. It was 1-5 and that shows how focused I was. It wasn't easy. I haven't beaten a Top-10 player in a while."

The 23-year-old credited improved flat groundstrokes and aggressive play for disrupting Swiatek's usually impenetrable defensive rhythm, saying she had overcome initial discomfort from her long absence from the iconic center court.

"The more matches I play, the more rhythm I get. I just feel really pumped and ready for my next match. I just really appreciate this win and want to thank my team. All our hard work is why I'm here," Zheng said.

The tennis superstar will next face Kazakhstan's top women's singles player, Elena Rybakina, who overpowered 13th seed Osaka to win 6-1, 6-4 at Louis Armstrong Stadium on Tuesday.

Global Times