Zheng shocks Swiatek in US Open

Chinese star upset world number three 7-5, 6-3 to book a place in quarter-finals

NEW YORK:

Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen, who had to come through US Open qualifying, stunned six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals on Monday.

It was another gritty win for the Chinese star, a former world number four now ranked 121st in the wake of elbow surgery last year.

Zheng had won the last seven games to stun Madison Keys in her previous match.

After falling behind 5-0 in the first set against Swiatek she again reeled off seven straight.

She broke the Polish star twice in the second set to clinch the win over the player she beat in the gold medal match in Paris two years ago.

"I would say I start the match really slow. That's why she's able to lead 5-0," Zheng said. "After that, I start to play more freely because I think I need to try to find my rhythm at least for the second set.

"I think that's the key for me to come back," she said. "I didn't expect that today, but somehow it's just happening again,"

As her rhythm built, Zheng said she was so in the moment that at one point she lost track of the score.

"At 4-5 I went to the towel, because I thought it was 3-5, and I thought I need to play one more game.

"But when I saw the scoreboard, I was, like, oh, 4-5, I need to go to my place to sit down.

"I was so focusing every single point, I just said, OK, this ball have to play here, that ball there, next point, just keep repeating," added Zheng, who saved three set points in the opening set.

Zheng was already the first qualifier to reach the US Open women's fourth round since Emma Raducanu -- who went on to win the title in 2021.

She will next face world number two Elena Rybakina, who cruised past two-time US Open winner Naomi Osaka 6-1, 6-4.

'Psychologically difficult'

Rybakina leads their head-to-head 4-1 and has won both meetings this year, in Doha and Madrid. She'll also have even more than a semi-final berth at stake since she's assured of climbing to world number one if she makes it to the final four.

Zheng, meanwhile, is fighting to get back to the top 10, admitting she's found it hard to accept her rankings plunge as she struggled to regain her form after her lengthy injury layoff.

"Psychologically it is very difficult to accept," she said. "I used to be top 10, Olympic champion.

"It is really, really tough process," Zheng added. "I suffered a lot, and I have been through a lot of pain every single loss I have."

Swiatek left the court in tears after another bitter Grand Slam disappointment.

She won her most recent major at Wimbledon last year but fell in the quarter-finals at the Australian Open in January before a fourth-round exit at Roland Garros and a third-round defeat in her Wimbledon title defense.

"I didn't have good timing," Swiatek said. "I wasn't hitting the ball right.

"Maybe I could have played more safe or something, but I also didn't feel like I had space with Qinwen to do that."

Zverev romps into quarter-finals

Top seed Alexander Zverev romped into the quarter-finals of the US Open on Monday with a straight sets defeat of Italy's Luciano Darderi.

Zverev, who had been taken to five sets in his opening two matches of the tournament, raced past 21st seed Darderi 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3) in 2hr 30mins on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.

The brisk victory came as a welcome change for Zverev, whose marathon first and second round matches had finished in the early hours of the morning.

"I don't know what to do with myself because it's before midnight," Zverev quipped afterwards. "I might go back to the practice court, I might go to a bar -- that was a joke, unfortunately.

"Compared to the first two matches, the level has been going up."

The 29-year-old French Open champion was in complete control throughout, punishing Darderi's woeful service game to grab an early double break in the first set for a 3-0 lead.

Darderi, who has failed to go further than the fourth round at any Grand Slam in his career, never looked like forcing his way back into the set thereafter.

Zverev mopped up the first set easily and was soon back on the attack in the second, once again securing a quick double-break for a 3-0 lead before holding with ease to go two sets up.

Darderi did manage to rally in the third set, suddenly finding his range with some blistering forehands and holding off four break points in the 11th game to help set up a tie-break.

But Zverev's superior service game meant there was only going to be one winner in the tie-break, a thunderous serve giving him a 5-2 lead before a scorching forehand into the corner took him to match point.

Zverev then wrapped up victory with his 13th ace of the match.

"I thought my level was very consistent," Zverev said. 

"It was just he started playing incredibly well in the third set. I barely saw anyone hit the ball as hard consistently as he did in the third set," added the German, who will now face Dutch veteran Botic van de Zandschulp in the quarter-finals.