Zheng Qinwen celebrates after winning her women's singles second round match against Anastasia Potapova of Russia at the 2022 US Open in New York, Sept. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)
With Zheng Qinwen and Yuan Yue making it to the last 32, this is the first time for China to have four players entering the women's singles third round at a Grand Slam.
NEW YORK, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Victories from Zheng Qinwen and Yuan Yue on Thursday wrapped up a wonderful second round for Chinese women's singles players, as four made it to the third round of the US Open.
Zheng, 19, beat Anastasia Potapova of Russia 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3) to qualify for the last 32, while Yuan defeated Romanian veteran Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3, 7-6 (6) after Wang Xiyu and Zhang Shuai had already progressed into the third round on Wednesday. It marks the first time for China to have four players enter the women's singles third round at a Grand Slam tournament.
"I think this is so positive. It means Chinese tennis can start to go up. With this energy, I hope all of us can go as far as we can. I'm happy for all of them," Zheng said.
World No. 39 Zheng seesawed with her 21-year-old opponent until 6-6 in the opening set and once trailed at 4-1 in the tiebreaker, but took six points in a row to wrap it up 7-4.
The two exchanged breaks several times in the second set before Zheng sealed her victory by winning the tiebreaker 7-3.
"Today was a really tough match, especially in the second set. It was a tough battle, but I'm so happy that I was able to hold the pressure in the second set when she come back at 5-5 and to win this tiebreak," Zheng said.
Zheng, who reached the last 16 at this year's French Open, edged out former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in three sets in her US Open debut on Tuesday.
Yuan Yue of China hits a return during her women's singles second round win against Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania at the 2022 US Open, Sept. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)
23-year-old US Open debutant Yuan Yue had already achieved her best result at a Grand Slam tournament by reaching the second round after beating Australia's wild card Jaimee Fourlis 6-3, 6-2 on Tuesday.
The world No. 142 opened the match by winning three games in a row before taking the first set 6-3.
Yuan had shared the spoils with Begu after 12 games in the second set, but kept resilient to win the tiebreaker 8-6.
In the women's doubles first round, Chinese pair Xu Yifan and Yang Zhaoxuan beat their compatriot Han Xinyun and Russia's Evgeniya Rodina 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, while Chinese veteran Zhang Shuai paired up with Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine to defeat Nadiia Kichenok of Ukraine and Georgia's Oksana Kalashnikova 6-4, 6-4 to reach last 32.
In the mixed doubles first round, Yang Zhaoxuan paired with India's Rohan Bopanna and lost to Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Australia's Max Purcell 7-5, 7-5. ■
