Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen fends off Amanda Anisimova in US Open first round

NEW YORK—Zheng Qinwen avoided becoming the first big upset casualty of the 2024 US Open, cooling off an on-fire Amanda Anisimova, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

The reigning Olympic champion and No. 7 seed fell behind a quick 5-1 deficit to the resurgent American, who finished runner-up at the National Bank Open earlier this month, but ultimately advanced in two hours and 20 minutes.

Still just 22 years old, Anisimova has long been seen as a star of the future, one who first made good on that potential at 2019 Roland Garros when she reached the semifinals. Peaking just outside the Top 20 four months later, the New Jersey-born Florida native has dealt with numerous physical, emotional and mental setbacks, suffering the loss of her father and former coach Konstantin. Within a year of reaching her first Wimbledon quarterfinal, she opted to sit out much of the 2023 season due to burnout.

Refreshed at the start of 2024, she surged into the second week of the Australian Open where she lost only to eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka. Anisimova avenged that defeat to the world No. 2 this month in Canada, and came to New York as one of the women’s draw’s most dangerous floaters after narrowly losing the Toronto final to Jessica Pegula.

She drew a formidable challenge in Zheng, who is coming off her own career zenith after standing atop the Summer Olympic podium in Paris, stunning world No. 1 Iga Swiatek en route. The Chinese star has proven plenty capable on hard courts in addition to clay, reaching her first Grand Slam final earlier this year at the Australian Open, but saw her US Open preparation cut short when she lost after two matches at the Cincinnati Open.

The 21-year-old looked similarly undercooked opening play on Louis Armstrong Stadium against Anisimova, who had the backing of an enthusiastic New York crowd. Anisimova showed off some of the flawless ball striking that first made her one to watch and raced out to a 5-1 lead.

Zheng gamely battled back from there, breaking the wild card twice and saving three set points on her own serve. But Anisimova settled just in time, converting a fourth set point with a thudding forehand winner.

The second set nonetheless saw Zheng with the early momentum, drawing more errors from Anisimova, who had an unfortunate net touch as she fell behind by a break. Nearly tripped up by an unheard let call on a first serve, Zheng expanded her lead and forced Anisimova to save four break points in a marathon seventh game.

Anisimova held on and threatened to break in the following game but found herself on the brink of a deciding set. With Zheng serving with two set points, Anisimova saved one with a well-struck forehand, but Zheng connected with a strong first serve to level the match at one set apiece.

Following a medical timeout for Anisimova, Zheng continued her march towards the second round and opened up a double-break lead to kick off the final set. Anisimova reclaimed one of the breaks and saved a break point down 2-4, but Zheng threw in a slice backhand to engineer a second, converting to give herself to shots at serving out the match.

Earning two match points behind a 104 mile-per-hour first serve, Zheng sailed over the finish line with one last strong delivery to book her spot in the second round.

The 2023 quarterfinalist will next face Erika Andreeva, who edged past Yuan Yue in a second-set tiebreaker, 6-3, 7-6 (7).