China's Zheng topples Jabeur to reach US Open last eight
Zheng Qinwen of China reacts to defeating Ons Jabeur of Tunisia during their Women's Singles Fourth Round match on Day Eight of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 4.
China's Zheng Qinwen thrashed fifth seed and last year's US Open runner-up Ons Jabeur 6-2, 6-4 on Monday to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
The 20-year-old Zheng meets Aryna Sabalenka, who is set to become the new world number one, or Russian 13th seed Daria Kasatkina in the last eight.
"Right now I feel just super happy and excited to play in a big stadium. I had a really good performance today," said Zheng, the 23rd seed.
"Ons is a fantastic player and really tough to beat. It's a really impressive win for me.
"I know my game has to be aggressive. A couple of times during the match I was a little bit defensive and she broke me.
"I told myself I had to take the match (into my own hands)."
Zheng is China's first US Open quarterfinalist since Wang Qiang in 2019. Two-time major champion Li Na reached the semifinals in New York in 2013 and Peng Shuai did the same a year later.
Jabeur's latest quest for a maiden Grand Slam title fizzled out in an error-riddled display from a player whose US Open campaign has been disrupted by a flu virus.
The Tunisian lost the 2022 final to Iga Swiatek and has also finished runner-up at Wimbledon the past two years.
