Zheng stunned at Australian Open as Siegemund clinches straight sets victory

Last year's runner-up, Qinwen Zheng, aged 22, faced an unexpected exit from the second round of the Australian Open, suffering a surprising defeat of 7-6, 6-3 against unseeded German player Laura Siegemund, who is 36 years old, on Wednesday.

Zheng, the Olympic champion, appeared to struggle in the opening match of the day at John Cain Arena, while Siegemund aggressively took control, securing a closely contested first set in a tiebreak.

An early break in the second set gave the German player the upper hand, and although Zheng, the fifth seed from China, managed to break back, she soon found herself trailing 3-1.

Siegemund, currently ranked 97th in the world, delivered the decisive blow on her serve, effectively ending Zheng's hopes of replicating compatriot Li Na's victory at the Australian Open in 2014.

"I knew I had to play beyond my best tennis," Siegemund remarked, celebrating her first victory over a top-10 player since 2022.

"I had nothing to lose, so I encouraged myself to play freely. She is an exceptional player, one of the best currently. However, I am confident in my abilities and aimed to make it a challenging match."

Zheng, who was the runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka at Melbourne Park last year, mentioned that she had been dealing with fitness concerns following her participation in the WTA season-ending championship in November.

The 22-year-old expressed that her preparation for the first Grand Slam of the year was less than ideal, as she had to forgo preliminary tournaments.

"There was no opportunity for me to compete in a tournament before the Australian Open due to the tight schedule," Zheng explained.

"I experienced some minor issues after the WTA Finals. I consulted with my team about whether we should participate in the Australian Open.

"I was the one pushing for it. My team advised against it, but I insisted on coming here to attempt to compete in a Grand Slam. It is a challenging situation, as there are unresolved issues with my body."

SportsLigue