Qinwen Zheng Stuns Iga Swiatek with 5-0 Comeback to Reach US Open Quarterfinals

NEW YORK — Lightning struck twice at Flushing Meadows on Monday afternoon, as Qinwen Zheng produced another miraculous escape from a 5-0 deficit to defeat No. 8 seed Iga Swiatek 7–5, 6–3 in the round of 16 at the 2026 US Open.

Just two days after pulling off an identical 0-5 third-set rescue act against Madison Keys, the 2024 Olympic gold medalist repeated her Houdini act on Arthur Ashe Stadium, breaking new ground by becoming the first qualifier to reach the tournament’s quarterfinals since Emma Raducanu in 2021.

Swiatek’s Blistering Start and Zheng’s Miraculous Turnaround

For the opening 20 minutes, the match appeared to be heading toward a routine victory for Swiatek. The 2022 US Open champion raced out of the blocks, utilising deep, heavy ground strokes to overwhelm Zheng and surge to a commanding 5–0 lead.

However, the contest pivoted dramatically in the sixth game. With Swiatek serving for the set at 5–1 and later holding set points, Zheng suddenly locked in from the baseline, drastically cutting down her unforced errors and finding extraordinary depth on her backhand.

“I guess to come back 0-5 yesterday is not lucky, that’s all I can say,” Zheng reflected on-court. “I was just focused on each point. I even forgot what the score was.”

Zheng reeled off seven consecutive games to snatch the opening set 7–5, leaving Swiatek visibly shell shocked.

Second-Set Control and Medical Interruption

Carrying the momentum into the second set, Zheng maintained relentless pressure against the former world No. 1. Trailing early in the second set, Swiatek required treatment from the trainer on her left thigh, though the Polish star later credited Zheng’s elevated level rather than physical issues for her collapse. Zheng broke midway through the set to establish a 5–3 lead, then held her nerve under pressure to seal the second set 6–3, collapsing flat onto the baseline in celebration as her fairy tale run in New York continued.