Chinese pair Duan Yingying and Zheng Saisai fought back from behind in a superb showing as they reached the third round of women's doubles at the U.S. Open, taking down Slovenian Dalila Jakupovic and American Sabrina Santamari on Saturday. 

The 12th-seeded duo, who stormed into the French Open final earlier this year, opened sloppily, making numerous unforced errors to fall behind 1-3. It set the tone unfortunately for the rest of the set which they lost 3-6, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. 

To their credit, Duan and Zheng raised their game in the second set by eliminating the looseness as they managed to level the score with a 6-4 win before sealing the encounter in the final set with a confidence-building 6-1. 

Later on Saturday, Rafael Nadal returned from an extended rest to cruise into the last 16, while Alexander Zverev again battled through ahead of a blockbuster showdown featuring defending champion Naomi Osaka and teen phenom Coco Gauff. 

Second seed Nadal, a three-time winner at Flushing Meadows, disposed of 170th-ranked South Korean qualifier Chung Hyeon 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, having benefited from three days off after a second-round walkover. 

The Spaniard improved his record here against players outside the top 50 to 35-1 and will meet 2014 champion Marin Cilic for a place in the quarter-finals. 

Meanwhile, American qualifier Taylor Townsend followed up her shock win over reigning Wimbledon champion Simona Halep by beating another Romanian, Sorana Cirstea, 7-5, 6-2. 

Swiss 13th seed Belinda Bencic advanced via walkover as Anett Kontaveit retired with illness, while Belgian 25th seed Elise Mertens moved on with a 6-3, 6-3 defeat of Germany's Andrea Petkovic. 

U.S. wildcard Kristie Ahn, winless in three previous Slam appearances, kept her fairy-tale run going by knocking out 2017 Roland Garros winner Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 7-5. 

(With input from agencies)