Zheng Qinwen, of China, returns a shot to Aryna Sabalenka (not in photograph), of Belarus, during the quarterfinals of the US Open tennis championships, Sept 6, 2023, in New York. (PHOTO / AP)

NEW YORK - China's rising star Zheng Qinwen was stopped in the US Open quarterfinals, losing to world number two Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 6-1, 6-4 here on Wednesday.

Despite her loss, the 20-year-old has already made a breakthrough in her career by reaching the final eight of a Grand Slam event for the first time.

Still, she revealed that the result did not meet her expectations.

"If you just talk about result, of course it's not bad for me, but honestly, in my mind I really want to go to farther," she told reporters. "But honestly, there is still a lot of room for me to improve, especially she (Aryna Sabalenka) makes me think a lot that I have to go back and put some work on in my tennis."

Despite her loss, Zheng Qinwen has already made a breakthrough in her career by reaching the final eight of a Grand Slam event for the first time

It took Sabalenka just 27 minutes to take the first set where Zheng admitted she needed some time to adapt to the conditions at the main court in Arthur Ashe stadium and the fast style of her opponent.

A double fault and two unforced errors in the seventh game saw Zheng broken and she never recovered, sending a backhand into the net on match point to prompt a satisfied fist-pump from her opponent.

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"Honestly I hate that different half shadow, half sun, because I feel that's also bad for my eyes. Later when the sun started to move away, there was full shadow on court and I felt my reactions start to quicken," she said.

Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka hits a return to China's Zheng Qinwen (not in photograph) during the US Open tennis tournament women's singles quarter-finals match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, on Sept 6, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

"I think Sabalenka got a really strong serve. She makes me feel that it's tough to return. I think she's one of the fastest serve in the tour. I think the next time if I have to play against her that I have to deal with especially the return how to handle it, her service game.

"She's been playing more fast than all the other players. That's maybe one of the reason and I didn't get to the match [in the first set]." she added.

Zheng won her maiden title on the WTA Tour in July in Palermo, shortly after she began working with coach Wim Fissette, a veteran who counts major winners Naomi Osaka, Victoria Azarenka, Angelique Kerber and Kim Clijsters among his former clients.

"I was kind of impressed by her, first of all, like the athlete she is. It's very impressive, strong and really fast on the court," Fissette told reporters.

"Also really explosive, and you see that in her strokes, like, big serve, big forehands. Lots of possibilities. But also still pretty raw."

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In the women's doubles, China's Wang Xinyu, paring up with Chinese Taipei's Hsieh Su-Wei, advanced into the women's doubles semifinals, overcoming American third seeds Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-4.

With Reuters inputs