Zheng Qinwen hits a return during her women's singles first round victory against Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia at the 2022 US Open in New York, Aug. 30, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)
Zheng Qinwen and Yuan Yue both won their U.S. Open main draw debuts as five Chinese players entered the singles second round.
NEW YORK, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Zheng Qinwen defeated former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko on Tuesday, while Yuan Yue swept past Australian wildcard Jaimee Fourlis in straight sets as both Chinese youngsters took their first main draw victories at the US Open.
After the first round, five out of seven Chinese players progressed, as Wu Yibing will make his first ever second appearance in the men's singles main draw, while Zhang Shuai and Wang Xiyu also advanced in the women's draw.
Zheng and Ostapenko each won a set 6-3 before 19-year-old Zheng was broken first in the deciding set, but quickly bounced back with a 6-4 to secure a berth in the second round. Zheng notched an astonishing 21 aces in the two-hour duel.
Zheng, who had an impressive run at Roland Garros in May, started her season ranked No. 143 but has already risen into the top 39. The Chinese had stunned two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep of Romania and French veteran Alize Cornet en route to the last 16 in the French Open.
"I did well in the first set but gave her too many easy points in the second," said Zheng. "I was a bit nervous, but the turnaround came at 4-4 in the third set when the whole crowd was cheering me on and I was happy to take the match."
This victory means Zheng has won all her Grand Slam first round matches this year, having reached the second round at the Australian Open and the third round at Wimbledon.
Wang Xinyu hits a return during her women's singles first round victory against Linda Fruhvirtova of the Czech Republic at the 2022 US Open, Aug. 30, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)
Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue defeated her Australian opponent 6-3, 6-2 to reach the second round of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career.
Yuan, 23, started her first U.S. Open main draw appearance by winning five games in a row before taking the opening set 6-3.
Yuan Yue of China hits a return during the women's singles first round match against Jaimee Fourlis of Australia at the 2022 US Open tennis championships in New York, the United States, Aug. 30, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)
The world No. 142 needed treatment to her left thigh before the second set, but returned to wrap up the match 6-2 without difficulty.
Yuan will meet either Elise Mertens of Belgium or Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu in the next round.
Compatriot Wang Xinyu lost to Czech teenager Linda Fruhvirtova 6-3, 6-4 in her second U.S. Open main draw appearance.
Wang, 20, was outclassed by Fruhvirtova after one hour and 22 minutes. The 17-year-old Czech qualifier had three aces, compared to none from world No. 79 Wang. ■