China's Zheng Qinwen returns the ball to Poland's Iga Swiatek during their fourth-round match of the French Open tennis tournament on May 30, 2022, in Paris. Photo: VCG

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 booked 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 event.

Zheng and Ostapenko each won a set 6-3 before the 19-year-old Zheng was broken first in the deciding set, but quickly bounced back with a 6-4 and secure a berth in the second round. 

Zheng finished 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 to the top 39. 

She stunned two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep of Romania and French veteran Alize Cornet en route to the last 16 in that tournament.

"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," Zheng said.

After this victory, Zheng won all her Grand Slam debuts as she reached the second round at 2022's Australian Open and the third round at Wimbledon.

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 US Open main draw appearance by winning five games in a row before taking the opening set 6-3.

The world No. 142 needed a medical 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.

Xinhua