US OPEN

September 1, 2022

Zheng Qinwen

Press Conference

Z. QINWEN/A. Potapova

7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Could you just give us your thoughts on the victory.

ZHENG QINWEN: Yeah, today was a really tough match, especially in the second set. I was leading 5-2 up, and in that moment, she come back three games in a row. But I was not play so good there. Was tough battle, but I am so happy that I'm able to hold the pressure in second set when she come back at 5-All and to win this tiebreak.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. At first I have kind of a dumb question to ask you: Do you want us to call you "Zheng Qinwen" or by a different name? What do you prefer?

ZHENG QINWEN: Well, you can call me whatever you like, yes. I know some people they call me "Kingwen," some people call me "Queenwen," "Zheng Qinwen." You call me whatever you feel comfortable, and if I know it's me, it's fine.

Q. Third straight third round at a slam. This level of consistency that you have found at the slams, what do you think has been the key to being able to do this in three straight majors?

ZHENG QINWEN: I think the key is also in the training that I was being always working hard. In the slam, I really believe all the player, they will give the best shape of them to have good performance in the slam.

So I know everybody's really tough to beat in the Grand Slam, and I always say that slam is one of my dreams since I was little. So every time when I arrive here, I will leave everything I have on the court.

Q. Would you say you're a different player on the hard courts compared to where we saw you on the grass and the clay? Do you have a different style of play when you step on a hard court?

ZHENG QINWEN: Well, I think yes. I think I play pretty different on clay and on hard court. You know, on hard court was more fast and is more about reaction. When I was playing on clay, have more time to generate the power and to hit the ball like heavy with topspin. But on hard court, especially in girls, like most of them they are hitting flat. I was really used to bend my knee and getting the ball well.

Q. Now you play someone who is up and coming just like you and had a deep run in Wimbledon, Jule Niemeier. I think you played each other twice in your career. What do you know about her? How would you analyze her?

ZHENG QINWEN: I think I will say she's a very good player, and I think her ball come with really heavy, a lot of spin.

Yes, I think when I played against her the last time was in Australian Open, the qualifying. I beat her in two sets. Of course the next day will be a tough match. She's tough to beat, because it means she arrive in third round, it means she has something. I will always try to give everything when I play against whatever opponent I have in front.

Yeah, let's see what happen in the match.

Q. It was the first time that there are four Chinese women in the third round of a slam ever in the history of the sport. How does it feel to be part of this group of four and to be part of that history? Do you know the other girls pretty well? What do you feel about it?

ZHENG QINWEN: Is three girls, one man, right?

Q. Four girls and one man.

ZHENG QINWEN: So is like five? Yes. I think this is so positive. Is mean in China the tennis start to go up. I think between each other we have really, like, competition, I mean, good competition between each other. You know, when you are have someone to compete, you always can performance better.

I think with this energy, I hope all of us, we can going as far as we can. And of course congrats to all of them. Has such good performance here, and I'm happy for all of them.

Q. Can you tell me a little more about your childhood, where you played and where you learned the sport? I think you went to Beijing at a certain point and practiced with Carlos Rodriguez; is that true?

ZHENG QINWEN: Yes.

Q. Can you talk about that and where you went afterwards.

ZHENG QINWEN: Yeah, I was practicing with Carlos for three years when I was 13 to 16 years old probably.

You know, he's amazing coach for me, and he education me a lot in that moment. I was having really fun time, the time when I practice with Carlos.

He used to talk about, you know, how Li Na is playing, how Justine is playing. See those players, that's the goal.

And I remember him. I really feel he gives me a lot for tennis.

Q. When you were 16 you moved to where?

ZHENG QINWEN: When I was after 16 I was going out from the academy, and I was practicing for like I think half years in Mouratoglou. After, I go to Spain, yeah.

Q. Your photos from the photo shoot in China, in "Harper's," kind of made a big splash this morning. Did you enjoy that process? How does it feel to see yourself like that in very different ways than maybe we are used to seeing you?

ZHENG QINWEN: Well, you know, I always likes to see myself, how I am outside of the court, and I was really enjoying to making different picture with me. I see that I have more, like, outside of tennis, another beauty, another different kind of beauty than sport.

In that day I have so much fun with all the other people who doing shooting with me, we make a lot of joke.

When I see those picture, I feel really happy, you know, because when we play tennis, especially me, I know I make strange faces sometimes. I mean, not everybody can play like Roger with really calm face. I wish I can, but is so tough to be like that (smiling).

When I see this picture and compared to tennis, of course you see is much more beautiful, absolutely, yes. But also, you know, on tennis, I enjoy the way how I am and to be, like, competitor on court is different beauty. Both are really good.