New York – In a stunning turn of events at the U.S. Open, China’s Olympic gold‑medalist Zheng Qinwen rallied from a two‑set hole to eliminate No. 22 Madison Keys, 1‑6, 7‑6 (3), 7‑5. The comeback capped a spectacular seven‑game run that left the crowd in awe.
Key moments of the match
Keys, who had fought back from five match points in her previous round, seemed poised to continue her resurgence. However, after taking a 5‑0 lead in the final set, Zheng steadied her play, holding serve and forcing Keys to miss a match point at 5‑1. The Chinese star’s composure paid off as she clinched the final games.
“I kept telling myself to hold every point and never give up,” Zheng said after the win. “Little by little it just happened.”
Other notable upsets
American No. 9 Taylor Fritz also suffered a shock defeat, surrendering a two‑set lead to No. 24 Francisco Cerundolo, 3‑6, 4‑6, 6‑3, 6‑4, 6‑4. “I don’t know how I let that happen today,” Fritz admitted.
Former US Open runner‑up Amanda Anisimova was knocked out by No. 24 Anastasia Potapova, 6‑2, 7‑5, after converting just three of 16 break‑point chances.
Implications for the tournament
Zheng’s victory sets up a third‑round clash with 2022 champion Iga Swiatek. Her rise follows a gold‑medal performance at the 2024 Olympics and a career‑high ranking of No. 4, though she is currently ranked No. 121 after elbow surgery forced her through qualifying.
Meanwhile, the women’s draw features other rising Asian talent, including Naomi Osaka and Philippines’ Alex Eala, while Coco Gauff prepares for a round‑of‑16 matchup.
Keys, the 2025 Australian Open champion, acknowledged she may need to make changes after the loss, saying, “I felt like I couldn’t play tennis anymore.”
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
