Ex-Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek left her US Open fourth-round contest in tears after suffering a major upset to Zheng Qinwen.
Swiatek was flying in the opening set, taking a 5-0 lead, but endured an incredible collapse, losing 7-5.
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Everything changed in the sixth game when Zheng broke Swiatek’s serve and launched a stunning run of seven consecutive games to snatch the set from the 2022 US Open champion’s grasp.
With the momentum firmly in her favour, the Chinese star carried that momentum into the second set, wrapping up a 6-3 victory to complete a straight-sets triumph and end Swiatek’s tournament.
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Swiatek was visibly devastated by the defeat, leaving the court through the Arthur Ashe tunnel in tears after the match.
Speaking to the press afterwards, she said: “Honestly, every US Open except 2022 has been like that.
“We face many losses, so obviously it’s not the best thing to say, but, like, in tennis, you’re more used to losing than winning.
“So I don’t feel like I need to bounce back from anything. Just need to focus on the work before next tournaments, and there are going to be other chances to play good tennis, and I will focus on growing and developing my game. That’s it.”
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When the journalist pressed further, specifically referencing the squandered five-game advantage, Swiatek grew visibly irritated.
“It’s just one match,” she replied before adding, after an awkward pause: “Do you think it’s something crazy?
“You can lose a set from any score, so nothing special about that.”
Incredibly, this was not even the first time Zheng had pulled off such a feat at this year’s US Open.
In her previous round against Madison Keys, she found herself staring at the same 0-5 scoreline in the third set before mounting an identical fightback to secure victory.
That win against Keys earned her the Monday showdown on Arthur Ashe, and she produced the same extraordinary resilience against a far higher-ranked opponent.
Zheng entered the tournament through qualifying after her world ranking slipped to No121 following a prolonged spell on the sidelines due to injury.
Being a former top-10 player, Zheng’s credentials make her a dangerous proposition for anyone left in the draw.
She reached the Australian Open final and claimed Olympic gold in Paris in 2024, beating Swiatek in the semi-finals on that occasion
Now she has her sights set on the quarter-finals, with the possibility of becoming the first qualifier to lift a Grand Slam trophy since Emma Raducanu’s extraordinary triumph.
Raducanu’s 2021 run remains the only instance of a qualifier winning a major title.
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