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Zheng Qinwen Erases 0-5 Deficit to Take First Set from Swiatek at US Open
Zheng Qinwen rallied from 0-5 down to win the opening set 7-5 against Iga Swiatek at the 2026 US Open, sparking a wave of online excitement.
Swiatek, the former world No. 1, came out firing at Flushing Meadows, breaking Zheng Qinwen's serve early and racing to a 5-0 lead in the opening set. The Polish player's powerful groundstrokes appeared to leave Zheng with no answers.
Then Zheng clicked into another gear. The Chinese star began hitting deeper and more accurately, breaking Swiatek's serve for the first time and then holding her own. She repeated the pattern to force a tie at 5-5, and sealed the set with a 7-5 scoreline.
Fans and commentators flooded social media, with videos of Zheng's forehands and calm composure circulating on Weibo, X, and TikTok. Many described the fightback as one of the most spectacular in US Open history.
Born in Hubei and often compared to Chinese tennis icon Li Na, Zheng has been seen as a trailblazer for the sport in China. Her fierce baseline game and confident persona were on full display as she overturned the early deficit against Swiatek.