US Open Comeback Drama: Zheng Qinwen Overturns Two 0-5 Deficits Against Tough Opponents

The US Open women's singles event recently witnessed one of the most thrilling comeback stories, as Zheng Qinwen overturned two 0-5 deficits and defeated seeded opponents near the top of the rankings.

Two 0-5 comebacks, a rare Grand Slam achievement

In the recent fourth round of the US Open women's singles draw, Zheng Qinwen fell into a 0-5 hole against Swiatek from the start.

Few expected her to win seven consecutive games and take the match to reach the quarterfinals. Earlier in the third round, she produced an identical 0-5 comeback against No. 22 seed Keys.

Neither opponent was easy to beat: Keys is an Australian Open champion and ranked No. 24 in the world, while Swiatek owns six Grand Slam titles and was the No. 8 seed at the tournament. Both were major threats Zheng Qinwen had to respect before the matches.

After the match, Keys admitted that after taking a big early lead she became increasingly nervous and struggled to swing freely, saying, “Playing tennis is really difficult right now.”

When asked why she lost after leading 0-5, Swiatek simply said, “It’s just one match,” but cameras captured her tears as she left the court.

From No. 121 to No. 52, she endured a full 10 months of struggle

Zheng Qinwen’s path through this US Open was much harder than it appeared.

Last year, she missed nearly 10 months because of right elbow surgery. After a brief return, the old injury affected her form, and her ranking fell from the top 10 to No. 121.

Without a seeded spot at the US Open, she had to begin in qualifying and fight her way into the main draw.

Seeded players can avoid stronger opponents in the early rounds, but Zheng Qinwen faced seeded players in three straight rounds, creating a major physical challenge. She was the only unseeded player in this US Open quarterfinal lineup, making her run significantly more difficult.

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From facing doubts to answering with performance, sports competition is full of change

Just a few months earlier, Zheng Qinwen was surrounded by outside doubts.

At the recent Toronto WTA 1000 qualifying event, she lost in the first round. She also suffered first-round exits at the French Open and Wimbledon, and had already lost in the opening match six times during the 2026 season.

Before Wimbledon, she responded to critics by saying, “When you criticize me, aren’t you afraid that one day I will prove you wrong?” The first-round exit that followed made the remark especially striking.

Online reactions changed quickly. Some praised her confident words, while others quickly compiled criticism of her performances.

Many fans commented: “Ball sports are not reality shows. There is no need to put athletes on a pedestal and then push them down with the same standards.”

After defeating Swiatek, Zheng Qinwen reflected on her difficult period: “Losses may have been necessary for me. They taught me to stay humble. My confidence has always been there because I know what I am capable of.”

Her coach Ribas put it simply: “Winning does not require an athlete to be at their peak, only to keep fighting until the final point.”

When the score reached 0-5, Zheng Qinwen focused on playing each point well. Later, she even forgot the score and only thought about moving forward.

On the day of the US Open quarterfinal, Zheng Qinwen's run ended in the last eight, but she recorded seven straight wins during the tournament and moved up to No. 52 in the rankings.

Afterward, she described the US Open journey as “full of hardships” and wrote on social media: “Winning is difficult, winning is difficult.”

Competitive sports are never a simple upward path; they are a constant process of struggling with challenges and oneself.

What seems like a hopeless situation may become the starting point for the next comeback. Zheng Qinwen’s two 0-5 reversals offered inspiration to everyone fighting through difficult moments.