Madison Keys' bid for the fourth round of the U.S. Open came to a shocking end on Saturday afternoon when she lost to China's Qinwen Zheng in a third-round match. Keys, the No. 22 seed, was leading 5-1 in the third set before Zheng won six straight games to secure a 1-6, 7-6(3), 7-5 victory.
The match appeared to be heading towards a comfortable win for Keys, who had already taken the first set and held a commanding lead in the decider. However, unforced errors began to creep into her game, leading to her being broken three times in the final set. Keys also held a match point, but could not convert, ultimately succumbing to Zheng's comeback.
Zheng, 23, is a formidable opponent who had reached a career-high ranking of No. 4 in the world in June 2025 before undergoing elbow surgery. Her victory over Keys marks a significant achievement in her U.S. Open campaign.