Zheng trailed 4-2 in the final set of the last 16 clash against the world number 42.
But the Paris Olympic champion roared back to avoid a shock defeat at the Wimbledon warm-up event in west London.
Zheng beat Donna Vekic on the clay at Roland Garros last year to become the first Asian player to win Olympic gold in a singles event and also reached the Australian Open final in 2024.
The 22-year-old, currently fifth in the WTA rankings, bowed out in the French Open quarter-finals recently and is hoping to make her first strong run at Wimbledon, where she has never been past the third round in three visits.
Success at Queen’s would be a significant boost to her Wimbledon aspirations and next up for the Chinese star is a last eight clash with former US Open champion Emma Raducanu.
British wildcard Raducanu eased to a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Slovakian Rebecca Sramkova.
The 22-year-old will officially become British number one on Monday after compatriot Katie Boulter suffered a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 defeat against Russian fifth seed Diana Shnaider.
Raducanu has been troubled by poor form and back spasms throughout her 2025 campaign, but the world number 37 has been revitalised by playing in front of the British crowd at Queen’s.
“It wasn’t easy. I don’t think it was my cleanest performance, but I’m really happy to have pushed through in some tight moments,” she said.
“It was really helpful when it was coming back in the first set to have that roar of support to help me get through that last service game, so I appreciate that,” she added.
In the first women’s event at Queen’s for 52 years, 2022 Wimbledon champion and fourth seed Elena Rybakina made the quarter-finals with a 6-4, 6-2 win against Britain’s Heather Watson.
Rybakina will play Germany’s Tatjana Maria in the last eight on Friday, while Australian Open holder Madison Keys faces Shnaider and Emma Navarro takes on fellow American Amanda Anisimova. (AFP)