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Iga Swiatek crashes out of US Open 2026 as Zheng Qinwen

2026-09-07 · Iga Świątek · Club News

Iga Swiatek crashes out of US Open 2026 as Zheng Qinwen

US Open 2026: Iga Swiatek's title defence ends in shock fourth-round loss

Iga Swiatek's 2026 US Open campaign ended in heartbreak on Monday, with the eighth seed succumbing to a stunning upset against qualifier Zheng Qinwen. Swiatek raced into a 5-0 lead in the opening set but Zheng refused to roll over, winning the next seven games to steal the set 7-5 before overpowering her shellshocked opponent to complete a 7-5, 6-3 victory. The loss means Swiatek exits New York without a Major title for the first time since 2021.

Zheng Qinwen's remarkable US Open comeback reached new heights

Zheng Qinwen's victory in New York marked the second consecutive match in which she came back from 5-0 down in a set to win. In the previous round, the 2024 Olympic gold medalist rallied past Madison Keys in the deciding set, again winning 7-5. Like a dislodged train cart rolling down a hill, Zheng started slowly and picked up speed until she became unstoppable. Swiatek had started as ominously as Zheng did slowly, racing to her lead by playing the patient tennis that earned her the Canadian Open title, but once Zheng got her teeth into the set with a brisk hold, the fundamental hole in Świątek's game the past 12 months resurfaced.

A brutal loss for Swiatek

This was a heartbreaking loss for Iga Swiatek, completely losing her grip on the match after leading 5-0 in the first set. She was in tears as she left the court. For the first time since 2021, she ends the year without winning a Grand Slam title. The former world No 4 from China, who had come through qualifying after being sidelined by a long-term elbow injury, became the first qualifier to reach the quarter-finals since Emma Raducanu won the tournament in 2021. Zheng's reward is a last-eight tie against either Naomi Osaka or Elena Rybakina.

Swiatek's rough stretch continues

It's a brutal continuation of a rough stretch between the two, after Zheng also stunned Iga Swiatek at the 2024 Paris Olympics to end her 25-match Roland Garros win streak. It's also the second straight round in which the Chinese has produced a similar comeback, having rallied past Madison Keys in the previous round after the American led 5-1 in the deciding set. Zheng said in an on-court interview: "I guess to come back again from 0-5, that's not lucky."

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Iga Swiatek led 5-0 in the first set against Zheng Qinwen at the 2026 US Open before losing 7-5, 6-3
  • Zheng completed her second consecutive 5-0 comeback at a Major, having done so previously against Madison Keys
  • Swiatek exits Flushing Meadows without a Major title for the first time since 2021
  • Zheng Qinwen advances to the quarter-finals, where she will face either Naomi Osaka or Elena Rybakina

Bold: Iga Swiatek, Zheng Qinwen, US Open, Grand Slam, quarter-finals

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