Qinwen Zheng secured a hard-fought victory against Yulia Putintseva in the second round of the 2026 US Open, overcoming both a fierce opponent and her own physical challenges. Battling through illness, Zheng triumphed with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 scoreline.
Resilience Pays Off in a Grueling Match
The match unfolded as a rollercoaster, with Zheng taking control in the first set before Putintseva rallied to claim the second 6-2, leveling the contest. However, the 2024 Olympic gold medalist regained momentum in the decisive third set, winning five consecutive games to close out the match emphatically at 6-1.
Immediately after securing match point, Zheng collapsed to the court in tears, a reaction tied to her recent struggle with illness, which she revealed had sidelined her for the past week. “That’s why when I won I laid down on the court and cried,” she explained following earlier qualifying victories. “You know when you get sick, you are weak.”
The emotional scene highlighted the physical and mental toll of her situation, underscoring the determination required to advance in the tournament under such conditions.
Overcoming Setbacks to Return to Form
Zheng’s journey to this stage has been anything but straightforward. After undergoing elbow surgery in July 2025, she spent several months away from the WTA Tour, which caused her world ranking to drop to No. 121. This decline meant that Zheng, once a top 10 player, had to navigate the qualifying rounds just to earn a spot in the main draw.
Despite these hurdles, the two-time US Open quarterfinalist expressed that this tournament marks a significant milestone in her recovery, stating it is the first time in a long while that she has “felt like herself again.”