Zheng Qinwen, Yuan Yue advance into US Open last 32
Zheng Qinwen of China celebrates after defeating Anastasia Potapova during their women's singles second round match on day four of the 2022 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 01, 2022.
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.
