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Zheng Qinwen stuns Madison Keys to reach fourth round

9/7/2026

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Summary

Zheng Upsets Keys

Zheng Qinwen rallied to defeat Madison Keys 1-6, 7-6(7-3), 7-5 in the US Open third round.
She saved a match point at 5-1 down and then won seven straight games.
She entered as a qualifier ranked 121 after elbow surgery.
Zheng became the first qualifier to reach the fourth round since Emma Raducanu.
She will face six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek in the fourth round.

Summary

Zheng Saves Matchpoint

Zheng clinched her final qualifying match after saving a match point.
She altered ball trajectories and return positions to overcome the deficit.
She said the win challenges the disciplined Chinese training model with a more artistic style.
Commentators compare her potential to Li Na, suggesting she could surpass the pioneering champion.
She felt a sudden energy surge after the match-point save, driving her comeback.

History

Historical Context

Li Na’s 2011 French Open victory made her the first Asian woman to claim a Grand Slam singles title, drawing an estimated 116 million TV viewers and sparking a surge in Chinese tennis participation. Decades later, Zheng Qinwen, the 2024 US Open qualifier who saved a match point, echoed that breakthrough by reaching fourth round, first qualifier to do so since Emma Raducanu in 2021.

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Zheng Upsets Keys

Zheng Qinwen rallied to defeat Madison Keys 1-6, 7-6(7-3), 7-5 in the US Open third round.
She saved a match point at 5-1 down and then won seven straight games.
She entered as a qualifier ranked 121 after elbow surgery.
Zheng became the first qualifier to reach the fourth round since Emma Raducanu.
She will face six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek in the fourth round.

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