“Zheng Qinwen and Donna Vekić Shake Hands After Record-Breaking US Open Women’s Match”
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Historic Late Finish at US Open
At 2:15 a.m. ET, Zheng Qinwen and Donna Vekić concluded the latest finish ever for a women’s match in US Open history.
Zheng Triumphs Over Vekić
China’s Zheng Qinwen defeated Croatia’s Donna Vekić with a score of 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-2. Zheng advances to the quarterfinals with this victory.
Previous Record and Match Duration
The previous record for the latest finish was 2:13 a.m. ET. This was set in 2021 when Maria Sakkari defeated Bianca Andreescu. Zheng and Vekić’s match started just before 11:30 p.m. ET and lasted two hours and 50 minutes.
Rematch of Paris Olympics
The match was a rematch of the Paris Olympics gold medal match. Zheng won gold and Vekić took silver.
High-Quality Match Despite Late Hour
Despite the late finish, the round of 16 match on Arthur Ashe Stadium was of high quality. Zheng and Vekić combined for 67 winners and 57 unforced errors.
“Zheng Wins Match at 2:15 a.m. Local Time”
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Andy Murray Criticizes Tennis Scheduling
Recently retired tennis star Andy Murray voiced his frustration on X (formerly Twitter) about tennis scheduling. He criticized the four Grand Slam events—US Open, Australian Open, Wimbledon, Roland Garros—along with the ATP Tour, WTA Tour, and ITF.
Murray’s Comments on Late Matches
Murray called the scheduling a “total mess,” expressing his frustration with matches extending into the early morning hours. “It looks so amateurish having matches going on at 2, 3, 4 a.m. Sort it out,” he said.
USTA Responds
CNN has reached out to the US Tennis Association (USTA) for a comment on the scheduling issues.
Zheng’s Upcoming Quarterfinal
Zheng Qinwen will next face No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals. This match will be a rematch of the Australian Open final held earlier this year.