NEW YORK (AP) — Zheng Qinwen triumphed over Donna Vekic in a rematch of their Olympic final, securing her place in the U.S. Open quarterfinals with a 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-2 win. The match concluded early Monday morning, marking the latest finish of a women’s match in U.S. Open history.
The match ended at 2:15 a.m. when the No. 7-seeded Qinwen clinched her victory, completing a grueling 2-hour and 50-minute contest. This encounter was a significantly tougher and longer challenge compared to their previous meeting last month in Paris.
Zheng’s resilience and determination were on full display as she navigated through the intense and extended battle to advance in the U.S. Open.
Qinwen secured China’s first singles gold in tennis with a commanding 6-2, 6-3 victory in the Olympic final. However, her performance on the U.S. Open’s hard courts proved less dominant. Unlike the clay courts of Roland Garros, where she had triumphed, Donna Vekic excels on the hard surface, making the match at Flushing Meadows a more challenging contest for her.
However, Qinwen is formidable on hard courts, evidenced by her reaching her first Grand Slam final earlier this year at the Australian Open.
In that final, she faced Aryna Sabalenka, where despite her strong performance, Zheng fell short. Her success on hard surfaces underscores her skill and resilience, making her a tough competitor in any match.
Zheng Qinwen will face Aryna Sabalenka once again, this time on Tuesday. Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, defeated Zheng in the quarterfinals of last year’s U.S. Open, eventually reaching the final.
Their upcoming match promises to be a thrilling rematch, with Zheng aiming to overcome the challenge presented by Sabalenka, who has proven to be a formidable opponent in previous encounters.