New York: Chinese sensation Zheng Qinwen advanced to the US Open quarterfinals, securing a straight-set victory over fifth seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia, 6-2, 6-4.
This marked Zheng’s debut win against a top 10 player and her first time reaching the final eight of a Grand Slam event, reports Xinhua.
“Right now, I just feel super happy and excited to play in the big stadium and had a really good performance today,” said the 21-year-old Zheng during her on-court interview at the Louis Armstrong Stadium after her notable win.
“I love the name ‘queen Wen’. Come on, it’s queen,” Zheng remarked when asked about her popular nickname.
Zheng is set to face Aryna Sabalenka on Wednesday for a semifinal spot after the Belarusian second seed breezed past Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-3.
In men’s singles, world number one Carlos Alcaraz of Spain confidently defeated 22-year-old Italian Matteo Arnaldi in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.
“The intensity from the beginning until the last ball, I think I played a really solid match, fewer mistakes, played my game, trying to go to the net all the time,” Alcaraz said. “So I’m really happy with the performance in general.”
Third-seeded Daniil Medvedev of Russia overcame Australia’s Alex de Minaur, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-2, advancing to the quarterfinals. The match lasted two hours and 40 minutes, marking Medvedev’s fourth quarterfinal appearance in New York in the past five years.
Two years ago, he clinched his first and only Grand Slam title by defeating Serbian legend Novak Djokovic in straight sets.
“The conditions were some of the most brutal we’ve ever played,” Medvedev commented during his on-court interview. “There was one moment where I thought I’m not going to be able to play until the end, it’s so tough. But I looked across the net and noticed he was slowing down too, so I thought okay, I can do this. Then I managed to serve much better and it changed the match.”
Medvedev’s compatriot and eighth seed, Andrey Rublev, also advanced, edging out Briton Jack Draper, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
–IANS