Australian Open: Olympic champ Zheng Qinwen starts her bid for another final on a rainy Day 1
Australian Open: Olympic champ Zheng Qinwen starts her bid for another final on a rainy Day 1
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Zheng Qinwen's tennis resume is quite different from what it was when she showed up at the Australian Open a full year ago. No matter everything she accomplished in 2024 — a runner-up finish at Melbourne Park; an Olympic gold medal for China — she felt jitters before entering Rod Laver Arena on Sunday.
After overcoming some hiccups late in the opening set of her first-round match on a stormy Day 1 at the season's first major tennis tournament, Zheng came through with a 7-6 (3), 6-1 victory against Anca Todoni, a 20-year-old qualifier from Romania who has won one Grand Slam match in her career.
“Actually, I feel really nervous,” said Zheng, who is seeded No. 5. “I started to feel nervous already since yesterday, ’cause I felt special emotion for the Australian Open. ... I really like it here.”. As well she should. It was 12 months ago on Melbourne's hard courts that Zheng made it all the way to the final before losing to Aryna Sabalenka. The two-time champion began her bid for a third consecutive title with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over 2017 U.S. Open title winner Sloane Stephens. Alexander Zverev, the men's No. 2 seed, defeated Lucas Pouille 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the last match at Rod Laver Arena.
Two of the first three men's contests to conclude both went five sets. Kei Nishikori, the 2014 U.S. Open runner-up, saved a pair of match points in the third set and came all the way back to beat qualifier Thiago Monteiro 4-6, 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-2, 6-3, while No. 6 Casper Ruud, a three-time finalist at majors, defeated Jaume Munar 6-3, 1-6, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1.
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