The 19-year-old has reached at least the third round at three straight majors. By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday Septemeber 1, 2022
Flushing Meadows, NY—The introductions are complete at the Grand Slam stage for China’s Zheng Qinwen, and the talented, sturdy 19-year-old has proven to be a ringer.
Zheng won her Slam debut in Australian this January, before falling in the second round. At Roland-Garros she proved to be a force on the clay, parlaying a victory over Simona Halep into a run to the round of 16, and at Wimbledon she showed the potential for grass prowess as she reached the third round before falling to eventual champion Elena Rybakina in two very tight sets.
Here in New York the hard-hitting World No.39 is looking like a ringer on the fast-playing surfaces of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center as well.
She has hammered 32 aces through two rounds, and on Thursday she edged past Russia’s Anastasia Potapova, 7-6(4), 7-6(3).
China's Zheng Qinwen has made her debut at all four majors this year. And, for the third time, she reached the third round.
d. Potapova 7-6(4), 7-6(3).
The #USOpen WTA ace leader has 32 through two rounds. pic.twitter.com/M1InPxQRWT
— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) September 1, 2022
Afterwards the rising Chinese talked about her hard court game.
“I think I play pretty different on clay and on hard court,” she said. “On hard court was more fast and is more about reaction. When I was playing on clay, I have more time to generate the power and to hit the ball like heavy with topspin. But on hard court, especially girls, most of them they are hitting flat. I am really used to bending my knees and getting the ball well.”
Zheng, who is one of four Chinese women to have reached the third round in New York along with Zhang Shuai, Wang Xiyu and Yuan Yue, will face Germany’s Jule Niemeier in the third round.
The pair met this year in qualifying at the Melbourne 250, with Zheng coming through, 6-4, 6-0.
She knows that Niemeier, who reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon this year, is a talented and difficult opponent.
“She's a very good player, and I think her ball comes really heavy, with a lot of spin,” she said. “I think when I played against her the last time was in [Melbourne], the qualifying. I beat her in two sets. Of course the next day will be a tough match. She's tough to beat, because it means she arrive in third round, it means she has something.”
Zheng is now 19-14 on the season. She is one of two teenagers remaining in the women’s singles draw in New York, from the 13 who started in the main draw.
