Teenager Zheng Qinwen claimed the biggest triumph of her fledgling career on Thursday with a sensational 2-6 6-2 6-1 upset of two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep to become the only Chinese player to reach the third round at the 2022 French Open.

It would be tempting to suggest that Halep's shock early exit from the women's singles was a direct consequence of a panic attack she suffered at the end of the first set. "I didn't know how to handle it, because I don't have it often," said the 2018 French Open and 2019 Wimbledon winner after her loss. "I was leading the match. I was playing well. I lost it. I couldn't focus." 

Tempting, but it would be unfair on Zheng, ranked 74th in the world and playing only her second Grand Slam tournament following her debut at the Australian Open earlier this year. The 19-year-old showed tremendous maturity and composure after losing the opening set and eventually pulled off her comeback in thrilling fashion to reach the last 32 at a major tournament for the first time.

"I feel really nice," beamed Zheng, who had previously gone 0-3 against a top-20 opponent. "It's a second Grand Slam for me, so I enjoy every chance that I stand on court. I try to give my best like always and I'm glad [about] my performance today."

"That was an important experience for me, to stand in a big stadium and beat a great player. I'm still learning that I have a lot to do to be better." 

The last time Zheng met Halep was in the semifinals of Melbourne Summer Set 1 in January when the teenager was ruthlessly swatted aside by the former world number one in straight sets. This time, however, Zheng's ferocious power and resilience were on full display as the unfancied youngster managed to hit 28 winners to the Romanian's nine, turning the showdown on its head.

"In the Melbourne match, I learned a lot, that she was a very consistent player, and in that moment, I didn't have too much patience on court," Zheng observed. "Now I tried to stay with her more on court, trying to be more patient, find the chance to win the rally, and that's what I learned. So, I'm glad that I can perform on court today, and that's how I got the win."

Zheng's breakthrough victory at Roland Garros evoked memories of her compatriot Li Na, who was the first Asian to win a Grand Slam singles title at the French Open. Both of them were born in central China's Hubei Province, and Zheng revealed that she grew up watching videos of Li and took her "idol's" historic win in France as an inspiration.

"She's my idol and I always think about that," said Zheng. "In that moment I was still a child and then she gave me a dream that, oh, the Asia player, the Chinese player, also can win the Grand Slam and in that moment that I have the dream in my heart that I want to do it like her."

Zheng clearly inherits Li's winning mentality on and off the court. She was the first Chinese player to resume international travel in 2020, globe-trotting Europe by car with her mother and team despite coronavirus outbreaks.

"We were driving from Barcelona to Germany, to Italy, to the Czech Republic," she told WTA during an interview in March. "Seventeen hours, 22 hours plus stopping to eat. Looking back, it's like, 'Wow, I can't believe I did that.' Spending one day and a half in a car just to play a tournament – not even a WTA, an ITF. But it was like an adventure. It was a really good experience for me.

"Because going to every tournament was not easy, you really wanted to take your chance. I didn't want to lose in the first round and drive another 22 hours going home. You wanted to do something to justify all the driving."

Next up for Zheng is French number one Alize Cornet, who outclassed 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko 6-0, 1-6, 6-3 later in the day. 

The home favorite, who defeated none other than Halep to make her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at this year's Australian Open, will be another stern test of Zheng's strength of character, but the Chinese prospect remains calm and unfazed.

"I believe that there's always a chance to beat an opponent," Zheng declared. "It doesn't matter who is in front of me."