Świątek Crashes Out of US Open as Zheng Qinwen Pulls Off Sensational Comeback

A major upset rocked the US Open in New York as former world No. 1 and 2022 champion Iga Świątek, seeded eighth, crashed out in the fourth round, losing to world No. 121 Zheng Qinwen of China 5-7, 3-6.

Zheng pulled off an astonishing comeback — she was trailing 0-5 in the first set and had to fend off three set points, yet somehow turned the match around and closed it out. This marks the second straight match in which the former world No. 4 has fought back from a huge deficit: in her previous encounter against American Madison Keys, she rescued the third set in almost identical fashion.

"I didn't start very well, but I gradually found my rhythm. I just focused on every single ball and kept improving step by step," said the 23-year-old, whose promising career was long hampered by a chronic right elbow injury.

Świątek called for a medical timeout during the second set to have her left thigh massaged, though the physical issue didn't appear to affect her game. This was the Pole's second loss to Zheng in nine career meetings — and once again on a big stage, as the Chinese player's first-ever win over Świątek came in the Olympic semifinals.

Rybakina Cruises Without Dropping a Set, Andreeva Reaches the Quarterfinals

Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina gave two-time US Open champion (2018, 2020) Naomi Osaka of Japan no chance, cruising to a 6-1, 6-4 win in just over an hour. Rybakina has yet to drop a single set at this tournament — should she reach the semifinals, she will overtake Aryna Sabalenka to become world No. 1. That said, Linda Nosková could leapfrog the Belarusian too, if she beats her in Tuesday's quarterfinal.

Russia's Mirra Andreeva booked her spot in her first-ever US Open quarterfinal. The reigning Roland Garros champion beat Russian-born Anastasia Potapova, now competing for Austria, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 in the fourth round, with her opponent hampered by a left knee injury in the decisive stages of the match. "She's an even bigger fighter than I am, so I'm sure she'll come back stronger," Andreeva said of her defeated rival.

The victory made the 19-year-old Russian the first teenage player since former Czech player Nicole Vaidišová in 2007 to reach the quarterfinals of Grand Slam tournaments on all three surfaces. In the next round, Andreeva will face the winner of the all-American clash between Iva Jović and Coco Gauff.

Source: sport.cz