The year Zheng Qinwen was born, 2002, Venus Williams won 62 matches, seven titles and reached the finals of the last three Grand Slams.

When Williams won eight of the first nine games Wednesday against the 20-year-old from China, it looked like she might turn back the clock and win back-to-back matches for the first time in four years. But Zheng rallied for a 1-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory at the Western and Southern Open.

Williams, now 43, lost 11 straight games and 12 of the last 13. Her record is 3-6 for the year.

That sets up Thursday’s savory Round of 16 matchup between Zheng and No.1 Iga Swiatek, a 6-1, 6-0 winner earlier over Danielle Collins. Swiatek has won all three of their previous matches, in 2022 at Roland Garros and San Diego and this year’s event in Stuttgart.

By the numbers: Swiatek cruises past Collins into Cincy Round of 16

With a win over Swiatek, Zheng can match her best result at a WTA 1000 this year. She reached the quarterfinals in Rome.

The first set was vintage Williams. The seven-time Grand Slam champion was sharp, hitting her classic groundstrokes low and deep. She saved the only break point against her serve and broke Zheng -- who hit seven double faults -- twice. She collected the set by hitting another unreturnable serve.

Cincinnati: Draws | Schedule | Scores

But as dominant as Williams was in the first set, Zheng steadied herself and put together a similarly forceful effort in the second. After Williams led 2-0, she dropped the next six games. While Venus had nine winners and just two unforced errors in the first frame, she had only five winners in the second -- against 19 unforced errors.

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The third set was all Zheng, as Williams appeared to succumb to fatigue. Zheng won 29 of that set’s 44 points.

Zheng is only the third Chinese player after Li Na and Zhang Shuai to appear in the Round of 16 in Cincinnati over the past decade.