Zheng Qinwen defeated Donna Vekic in a rematch of their Olympic final to move on to the U.S. Open quarterfinals, winning 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-2 early Monday morning.
The match ended at 2:15 a.m., making it the latest finish in women’s tournament history. It lasted 2 hours and 50 minutes, which was a tougher challenge than their encounter in Paris last month.
In that previous match, Zheng claimed China’s first singles gold in tennis with a 6-2, 6-3 win. While she wasn’t as dominant on the U.S. Open’s hard courts, which suit Vekic better than the clay at Roland Garros, Zheng remains a formidable opponent on hard surfaces.
She reached her first Grand Slam final this year at the Australian Open, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka.
“I feel really proud of myself because it’s not easy changing surfaces from clay to hard, especially since I went back to China and didn’t have the same practice as other players,” Zheng said.
“So basically, I’m just trying to hold myself together and find a way to win the match even if I’m not at my best.”
She will face Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, in her next match on Tuesday. Zheng mentioned she’ll be ready if she gets eight or nine hours of sleep after finally returning to the hotel.
“I really like playing against her and am looking forward to it,” Zheng said. “I know she’s one of the greatest players on hard courts, and I’ve been hoping for this moment.”
Vekic, who had her best Grand Slam result by reaching the Wimbledon semifinals, felt she missed a chance to advance further at Flushing Meadows. She often showed frustration during the match, taking long pauses, tugging at her hair, or resting her head in her hands.
