Zheng Qinwen of China defeated fifth-seeded Ons Jabeur of Tunisia in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, to progress to the US Open semifinals.
According to Xinhua, this was Zheng’s first victory against a player ranked in the top 10 and her first appearance in the Grand Slam event’s last eight.
The 21-year-old Zheng expressed her happiness and excitement following her significant victory in an on-court interview at Louis Armstrong Stadium. “Right now, I just feel super happy and excited to play in the big stadium and had a really good performance today,” she said.
“I like ‘queen Wen’ as a moniker. Come on, it’s queen,” Zheng said, referring to her well-known moniker.
After easily defeating Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-3, Zheng will play Aryna Sabalenka on Wednesday for a quarterfinal position.
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain beat Italian Matteo Arnaldi, 22, in straight sets in the men’s singles event, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.
“I think I played a really solid match, fewer mistakes, played my game, trying to go to the net all the time,” Alcaraz said. “The intensity from the beginning until the last ball.” So overall, I’m really pleased with the performance.
Alex de Minaur of Australia was defeated by third-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev by scores of 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, and 6-2 to advance to the semifinals. It was Medvedev’s fourth quarterfinal appearance in New York in the previous five years, and the match lasted two hours and 40 minutes.
Two years ago, he defeated Serbian great Novak Djokovic in straight sets to win his first and only Grand Slam championship.
As he was being interviewed on the court, Medvedev said, “The circumstances were some of the most difficult we’ve ever played in. “There was a time when I questioned if I would be able to play all the way through. However, I realized he was slowing down too as I scanned the internet and decided I could handle it. The match was altered when I was able to serve considerably better after that.
Andrey Rublev, Medvedev’s countryman and the eighth seed, beat British player Jack Draper by scores of 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to progress as well.
