Zheng stuns Swiatek; Rybakina beats Osaka at US Open

sportsSep 7, 202628583

Zheng Qinwen erased a 0-5 deficit in the opening set to beat six-time grand slam champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3 and reach the US Open quarter-finals. Two days earlier Zheng had also recovered from 0-5 down to beat Madison Keys, running off seven games in a row in consecutive matches, a sequence the Guardian called unprecedented at this level. Zheng is an Olympic gold medallist who reached the 2024 Australian Open final and rose to a career-high No 4 before elbow surgery, fell as low as No 160 this June, and arrived in New York via qualifying; her 2026 record entering the tournament was 11-13. Elena Rybakina defeated Naomi Osaka 6-1, 6-4 in 66 minutes on Louis Armstrong Stadium, hitting 29 winners to 17 unforced errors and facing only one unconverted break point. Rybakina moved to within one win of becoming world No 1 for the first time. The two will meet in the US Open quarter-finals, pitting Zheng’s comeback streak against Rybakina’s near-flawless ball striking.

Micah

@rincewind.run

qinwen zheng down 5-0 is the most terrifying player alive, I can’t believe she’s done this in back to back matches

Graphic showing Qinwen Zheng coming back from 5-0 in the first set and winning it 7-5

12016h ago

ashley (valhalla) 🌹4

Micah, I couldn’t believe my eyes. holy shit

Tahar 🇺🇦 🇵🇸 🇺🇳 🇪🇺3

That was one hell of a come back.

Pendragon Armoury1

It’s like that Tears of the Kingdom sword thing where if you get down to one heart all of a sudden you’re much more powerful

Tennis Updates

@tennisupdates.bsky.social

Qinwen Zheng stuns Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3 For the first time since 2021, Iga doesn't win a slam, made QF in Australia and that was the closest she came. Was 5-0 up in the opening set and dropped 7 games in a row, her forehand really let her down.

8419h ago

Orry2

I wonder if that's the first time in pro tennis history that a player's last 2 sets were wins from down 5-0 (going back to the Keys match).

findlay1.bsky.social1

The way Qween stayed calm when down in the first set!

ctgr8.bsky.social1

Iga Swiatek must improve match management.

Quoting this

megan.8

this is my new favorite reaction 🙂

Ben Rothenberg

@benrothenberg.bsky.social

Has anyone ever won consecutive sets from 0-5 down before?? Hot dang, Zheng Qinwen.

7020h ago

Don Landry 🎙️✍️1

Somewhere, Madison Keys exhales and feels just a little bit better, I hope. Unreal, Qinwen. #usopen

The Tennis Letter

@thetennisletter.bsky.social

Zheng d. Iga Swiatek 7-5 6-3 ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE. Qinwen comes back from 0-5 to win a set and the match in back-to-back matches. 1st Slam QF since Roland Garros 2025. The first qualifier to reach the U.S. Open QF since Raducanu in 2021. ✅3rd U.S. Open QF The Queen of comebacks. 👑 🇨🇳♥️

4419h ago

TSN

@tsnofficial.bsky.social

Zheng Qinwen takes out Iga Świątek 7-5, 6-3, after starting the match 0-5 down in 20 minutes 🤯 #USOpen

3318h ago

Quoting this

CJ Fogler74

That’s two consecutive matches she’s trailed 5-0 in a set and won it. Nuts.

Tick Tock Tennis

@ticktocktennis.bsky.social

Zheng Qinwen has gone from 0-5 to 7-5 in each of her last 2 sets. Absurd.

3320h ago

Owen Lewis

@owensports.bsky.social

Only one player can repeatedly celebrate winning the middle rounds of a tournament by falling on their back without it annoying me and that player is Qinwen Zheng

2119h ago

Neil

@neilforreal.bsky.social

Iga Swiatek is imploding. It seemed like she had found some of her old confidence this summer but this set has shown how her stress and fragility bubble to the surface when things aren't going perfectly. And Qinwen Zheng is oozing confidence and easy power. Tennis is wild. 😲 #USOpen

2320h ago

Court Theory 🎾

@courttheory.bsky.social

I don’t know if Qinwen Zheng will be comeback player of the year, but she’s definitely the comeback player of this U.S. Open.

2119h ago

Jason

@hurleytennis.bsky.social

the only person standing between Elena Rybakina and her debut appearance at the World No.1 ranking is...Zheng Qinwen

1215h ago

Mark Taylor

@emarktaylor.bsky.social

🎾 #Tennis #USOpen #USOpen2026 For those into the fashion side, here's Naomi Osaka's entrance onto Louis Armstrong for her Last 16 match against Elena Rybakina ...

1316h ago

Neil2

I like players having fun with fashion. But when I see Rybakina standing there unaffected, I remember Ivan Lendl's reaction when a U.S player, Trey Waltke, showed up to their Wimbledon match wearing long trousers. Said Lendl, "Nice pants," and then thrashed him mercilessly. Same vibe today.

Magenta Rocks1

Thank you! I missed it.

Ground Pass Podcast - A Tennis Podcast

@groundpass.bsky.social

Can’t believe I have watched live Qinwen Zheng come back from 5-0 down in two matches! Incredible performance, incredible match. I mean that’s Diva behaviour! When her serve is working… 😮‍💨 What a star. #USOpen

1018h ago

Emilie

@delicatepear.bsky.social

Whelp not the break. Godspeed Iga Swiatek 🕊️ I’ll always remember your Canada title run Qinwen Zheng, welcome back baby!

1519h ago

Carole Bouchard

@carolebouchard.bsky.social

Zheng Qinwen once down 5-0 in her matches: ooooh I got them exactly where I needed… or something like that… 👀

1417h ago

OptaAce

@optaace.optajoe.com

0 - Elena Rybakina is now the fourth active player to reach the quarter-final at all four Grand Slams without conceding a set en route, after Venus Williams, Serena Williams and Aryna Sabalenka. Ice. #USOpen | @wtatour.bsky.social

915h ago

3 sources

bbc.co.ukUS Open 2026 results: Elena Rybakina sweeps aside Naomi Osaka to close in world number one ranking theguardian.comZheng Qinwen erases another 5-0 deficit to stun Swiatek and reach US Open quarter-finals smh.com.auRybakina was not certain to play this US Open. Now she is about to be the new No.1

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Zheng stuns Swiatek; Rybakina beats Osaka at US Open

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