Zheng Qinwen, Yuan Yue advance into US Open last 32
Victories from Zheng Qinwen and Yuan Yue Thursday wrapped up a wonderful second-round competition for the Chinese women's singles as four players made it to the third round at 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 already progressed into the third round on Wednesday. It marks the first time for China that four players enter the singles third round at a Grand Slam tournament.
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.
Zheng, who reached 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.
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 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/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 Georgian Oksana Kalashnikova 6-4, 6-4 to reach last 32.