Zheng Qinwen had a tough start to her year, losing in the second round of the Australian Open to Laura Siegemund, who is ranked No. 97. Last year, Zheng had an amazing run, reaching the finals and finishing as a runner-up against Aryna Sabalenka, plus winning an Olympic gold medal and the WTA Finals. But in this match, Zheng struggled with Siegemund’s strong playing style.
Zheng had to change her shoes early in the second set and received a time warning that distracted her from the match. She said, “I feel maybe today is not my day. There are many little details in important moments, and I didn’t make the right choices.”
In contrast, two-time champion Sabalenka kept winning, defeating Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, while Naomi Osaka also moved forward, beating Karolina Muchova. Osaka commented about her win over Muchova, saying, “This was my little revenge,” referring to a previous loss at the U.S. Open.
Also advancing in the tournament were Jessica Pegula and 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva. Siegemund’s victory was a big confidence boost for her as she aims to go past the third round for the first time in Australia.
Meanwhile, third-seeded Carlos Alcaraz had a fantastic win against Yoshihito Nishioka, demonstrating the importance of being quick on the court, especially during Grand Slam tournaments.
Leave a Reply