In a shocking twist at the Australian Open, last year’s finalist Zheng Qinwen was knocked out in the second round by unseeded German veteran Laura Siegemund. The 7-6(3), 6-3 defeat dashed Zheng’s hopes of following in the footsteps of Chinese legend Li Na, who won the title at Melbourne Park in 2014.
Siegemund, ranked 97th in the world and the second oldest woman in the table at 36, delivered a spirited performance on the John Cain Arena to secure her first victory against a top 10 player since 2022. Olympic champion Zheng, visibly out of shape and hampered by fitness issues, struggled to match Siegemund’s intensity and courage.
Zheng’s fitness concerns emerge
Zheng admitted after the match that his preparation for the first Grand Slam of the season had been far from ideal. After reaching the finals of the season-ending WTA Championship in November, the 22-year-old dealt with ongoing physical issues and skipped warm-up tournaments ahead of the Australian Open.
“For me, there was no chance of playing a tournament before the Australian Open because time was too tight,” Zheng revealed. “I had some small problems after the WTA Finals. My team advised me to skip this Grand Slam, but I insisted on coming here and competing.”
Zheng’s decision to play appears to have been counterproductive as she looked off-kilter, especially during critical moments of the match. Despite several chances to break Siegemund in the first set, Zheng failed, citing lapses in concentration.
“It was a tricky way to lose the first set because I didn’t play well enough,” Zheng admitted. “At the same time, she played really well today. It’s tennis—nothing more.”
Siegemund’s Moment of Glory
Siegemund entered the match with nothing to lose and everything to gain. Showing calm and precision, the German won the first set in a tiebreak, capitalizing on her luck and grabbing key points.
“I knew I just had to play more than my best tennis,” Siegemund said after his victory. “She’s one of the best players in the world now, but I told myself to play free and make the fight difficult.”
An early break in the second set set the tone for Siegemund’s dominance. Although Zheng reacted briefly, the German quickly regained control, finishing the match on serve and falling to her knees in disbelief as she realized she had just scored the biggest victory of her recent career.
A Tearful Exit for Zheng
Zheng left the court visibly distressed, on the verge of tears, after the defeat. The defeat represents a significant setback for the fifth seed, whose aspirations to replicate his 2024 run have been disrupted by both physical and mental struggles.
Meanwhile, Siegemund’s fairy tale journey continues as she prepares to face either Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Anastasia Potapova in the third round. With her fearless performance, the German reminded the tennis world of her enduring abilities, even at 36 years old.
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