Tennis Star Zheng Wins From 5-0 Down at US Open

Zheng Qinwen threw herself to the ground in disbelief after completing one of the most dramatic comebacks in US Open history.

The Olympic gold medalist defeated Madison Keys 1-6, 7-6, 7-5 on Saturday after being down 5-0 and facing match point in the third set. She won seven games in a row to snatch victory from certain defeat against the 2025 Australian Open champion.

The comeback feels even sweeter considering where Zheng was just three months ago. In May, she sat crying in a press conference after losing in the first round of the French Open, her first Grand Slam back after elbow surgery.

Zheng had risen to fourth in the world rankings and reached the 2024 Australian Open final before chronic bone fragments in her elbow forced her to undergo surgery in July 2025. Nine months away from competition dropped her ranking to 160, forcing her to qualify for the US Open for the first time in four years.

"After coming back from injury I felt I lost the energy and I forgot how to compete," Zheng admitted. She broke down in tears after winning her third qualifying match just to reach the main draw, where most players simply start.

Against Keys, the Chinese star faced what looked like the end. Keys had demolished her 6-1 in the opening set in just 23 minutes and surged to a 5-0 lead in the third. But Zheng never stopped believing.

Even when a baby's cry interrupted her serve at 5-4, 0-15 down, Zheng kept her cool. "It's just a baby," she joked afterward. "I can't do anything, you know?" She won the next four points to level the match, then closed out the impossible comeback.

Why This Inspires

Zheng's victory represents more than just an athletic achievement. Her journey from tears in Paris to triumph in New York shows how setbacks can fuel the most meaningful comebacks.

Her six-match winning streak in New York makes her the first qualifier to reach the women's fourth round at the US Open since Emma Raducanu won the entire tournament in 2021. For someone who questioned whether she'd ever rediscover her form, that's a powerful answer.

"Finally, a bit of luck is on my side," Zheng said, though anyone watching knows this had nothing to do with luck and everything to do with heart.

Sometimes the greatest victories come from refusing to give up when everyone else thinks it's over.