Four players from the Chinese mainland have progressed to the second round of the Australian Open, making a strong start at the first Grand Slam of the season held at Melbourne Park.
Zheng Qinwen, seeded fifth, secured a victory over Romania’s Anca Todoni with a score of 7-6(3), 6-1 in their first-ever encounter. After a grueling 75-minute first set, Zheng dominated the second to clinch the match. However, she was later eliminated by Germany’s Laura Siegemund 7-6(3), 6-3 in the second round.
Veteran player Zhang Shuai, competing as a wildcard at 35 years old, defeated the USA’s McCartney Kessler 6-3, 6-4. This win marks her first triumph at a Grand Slam event in two years.
Wang Xiyu showcased remarkable resilience, overcoming a challenging second set to beat Austria’s Julia Grabher 6-1, 7-5. This victory is her first at Rod Laver Arena in three years.
Wang Yafan delivered an impressive performance, rallying from a set down to overcome Hungary’s Anna Bondar 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. She reaches the second round of the Australian Open for the second consecutive year.
Despite strong efforts, four other Chinese players exited the tournament in the first round. Wang Xinyu was defeated by 11th-seeded Spaniard Paula Badosa, while Yuan Yue fell to former French Open finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia after a marathon 136-minute match. Grand Slam debutant Wei Sijia was eliminated by World No. 4 Jasmine Paolini of Italy, and Zheng Saisai concluded her first Australian Open appearance in four years with a loss to Russia’s Erika Andreeva.
In the men’s competition, none of the three Chinese mainland players advanced past the first round. Zhang Zhizhen engaged in a five-set thriller against World No. 13 Holger Rune of Denmark but ultimately lost 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Shang Juncheng withdrew from his match against Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina due to a foot injury, and Buyunchaokete was defeated in straight sets by Hady Habib, the first Lebanese male to reach a Grand Slam singles main draw.
The performances of these athletes highlight the growing prominence of Chinese tennis on the international stage, promising an exciting season ahead.
Reference(s):
Four of 11 Chinese players advance to second round at Australian Open
cgtn.com
