Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena saw Zheng Qinwen secure a 2-0 victory over Toudoni, marking a successful start to her campaign. The opening match at the Australian Open's center court is an honor that even Grand Slam champion Li Na never achieved. So, why has Zheng Qinwen, who has yet to win a Grand Slam title, been bestowed with the privilege of playing in the opening match?‌ The answer lies in Zheng Qinwen's status as the "spokesperson for the Chinese market." Prior to the Australian Open, she participated in a countdown ceremony alongside Craig Tiley, the tournament director. Zheng Qinwen represents the remarkable achievements of Chinese athletes on the international stage. Her presence has also significantly bolstered the support from Chinese sponsors, who have engaged in various forms of collaboration with the Australian Open. Consequently, the decision to have Zheng Qinwen play in the opening match holds considerable significance.‌ During Li Na's time, athlete commercial promotion was not as sophisticated as it is today. Moreover, Zheng Qinwen is an Olympic champion, and while she has not yet clinched a Grand Slam title, the Olympics hold immense value in their own right. Li Na was a pioneer for professional tennis in China, single-handedly elevating Chinese tennis to Grand Slam championship levels. Her fiery and straightforward temperament may have alienated some people, who intentionally created misunderstandings to pit Li Na against her fans. Nonetheless, Li Na remains a trailblazer for professional tennis in China.‌ Zheng Qinwen aspires to surpass Li Na's achievements. During Li Na's era, the women's tennis field was highly competitive,…

On January 13th, Beijing time, the second day of the first round of the new season's Australian Open women's singles saw the appearance of top contenders like Gauff and Swiatek, as well as multiple Grand Slam champions including Azarenka, Kenin, and Ostapenko. In a match between two Grand Slam champions, third-seeded Gauff easily defeated former champion Kenin with a score of 6-3, 6-3, achieving an eight-match winning streak across seasons. Following this, second-seeded Swiatek eliminated Siniakova with a score of 6-3, 6-4, advancing to the next round and improving her career Grand Slam first-round record to 23 wins and 1 loss. Thus, the top three seeds in the Australian Open women's singles all advanced with a 2-0 scoreline, with defending champion Sabalenka also eliminating Stephens with a 2-0 victory. However, there were several upsets on this match day. Former champion and 21st seed Azarenka performed poorly, losing 2-6, 6-7(2) to Bronzetti, suffering a first-round exit at the Australian Open for the first time in four years. For this 35-year-old veteran, increased age and declining form have left her with little competitiveness on the Grand Slam stage. Additionally, 16th seed Ostapenko also underperformed, losing the first set 3-6 and then being overturned by Bencic 8-6 in the tiebreak after leveling the second set at 6-6, resulting in a first-round exit with a total score of 0-2. In other matches, seventh-seeded Pegula swept past local wildcard youngster Jont with a 2-0 score, 12th seeded Schneider eliminated Kokhareto with a 2-0 score, 25th seeded Samsonova defeated Laksimova with a 2-0 score, 28th seeded…

On January 13, 2025, the Australian Open witnessed a major upset as two-time champion and women's singles No. 21 seed was eliminated, with Belarusian star Azarenka losing 0-2 to Italian player Bronzetti, marking her first-round exit after four years. Zheng Qinwen's opponent has been confirmed as Siegemund. The No. 21 seed in the women's singles is Belarusian star Azarenka, who once ranked world No. 1 and twice won the Australian Open women's singles title. Her abilities are beyond doubt, although her competitive form is not at its peak, and her age shows a significant decline. However, her performance in the four Grand Slams remains stable, with rare first-round exits. Unexpectedly, she fell short this time, losing to Italian player Bronzetti. After the match began, Azarenka was clearly out of form in the first set, making too many unforced errors. Bronzetti seized the opportunity and took the lead with a 6-2 victory. In the second set, Azarenka fought tenaciously, but despite Bronzetti's lead, it was difficult for her to further expand her advantage. Both players won six games each before reaching a tiebreak, where Bronzetti ultimately performed better, securing victory with a 7-6 (2) score, thus eliminating Azarenka 2-0. Thus, two-time champion Azarenka was stopped in the first round, becoming the second seeded player to be eliminated from the women's singles after No. 29 seed Czech player Noskova. Many fans lamented that time waits for no one, recalling Azarenka's second Australian Open title and subsequent rise to world No. 1. Now, with a significant decline in all aspects, retirement seems imminent…

On January 13th, Beijing time, the second day of the first round of the new season's Australian Open women's singles saw the determination of Zheng Qinwen's second-round opponent, who turned out to be Siegemund. The latter achieved a 2-1 comeback victory over Baptiste, though the hard-fought three sets took a significant toll on her energy, which is naturally beneficial for Zheng Qinwen. Additionally, Zheng Qinwen received another piece of good news: Wozniacka, the Grand Slam champion in the same 1/8th section, announced her withdrawal from the tournament due to injury. Neither player was seeded, with American Baptiste ranked 88th in the world and German Siegemund at 97th. Whoever won this match would improve their ranking. In the first set, Baptiste completed three breaks, while Siegemund had two. In the crucial tenth game, after Baptiste broke serve, she took the set 6-4. In the second set, both players continued their breakfest battles, with Siegemund breaking three times and Baptiste twice. In the critical eleventh game, after Siegemund broke serve, she leveled the score at 7-5. In the decisive set, Siegemund grew increasingly fierce, breaking serve in the first, third, and sixth games to establish a 5-2 lead. After Baptiste fought back to win two consecutive games, Siegemund successfully held serve, winning the set 6-4 and achieving a 2-1 comeback victory overall. Thus, Siegemund has been confirmed as Zheng Qinwen's opponent in the second round, with the match scheduled for January 15th. The exact starting time has not yet been announced. It's worth noting that Siegemund previously lost to Gao Xinyu at…

On January 12th, Beijing time, in the first round of the new season's Australian Open women's singles match, Sabalenka faced off against Stephens. Ultimately, Sabalenka defeated Stephens with scores of 6-3 and 6-2, winning the match between two Grand Slam champions in straight sets and advancing to the next round where she will face Bosas, ranked 52nd in the world. As the defending champion of the Australian Open, Sabalenka made her debut with the goal of achieving a three-peat. Prior to participating in the Australian Open, Sabalenka registered for the WTA500 Brisbane Station, where she achieved an impressive record of five consecutive victories, securing her first championship title of the new season and her 18th career tour championship. This year, Sabalenka faces the pressure of maintaining 2000 points, and her first-round opponent is Stephens, who won the 2017 US Open women's singles title. Therefore, this match is also a contest between two Grand Slam champions. However, in their previous four encounters, Sabalenka has maintained a perfect record, with their last meeting taking place during the 2023 French Open. In the first set, Sabalenka started by serving and easily held serve with four consecutive points. She then broke in the second game, leaving Stephens helpless against her serve. Despite holding two set points in the fourth game, Stephens was broken again, falling behind 0-4. Suddenly, Sabalenka lost her form, not only being broken but also losing three consecutive games to Stephens, who caught up to 3-4. However, the defending champion quickly adjusted, breaking and holding serve to win the first set…

In the world of professional tennis, comebacks are not uncommon. However, why has an Australian Open qualifying match become a hot topic of discussion? 21-year-old Chinese player Wei Sijia made a textbook "fight back from the brink" in her match against Serbian player Stojanovic. This is not only a highlight moment in her career but also etches her name into the history of Chinese tennis - for the first time advancing to the main draw of a Grand Slam event and ranking among the top 128 at the Australian Open, earning a prize of 132,000 Australian dollars. This match not only showcases the growth and transformation of young players but also evokes the realization of how difficult it is to reach the pinnacle of the stage. Speaking of Wei Sijia, many may not have known her before, but her growth story is a classic example of "silence before the storm." At 21, she had long been hovering outside the top 300 in the world rankings. Forget about Grand Slam qualifiers; even securing a spot in the main draw of a regular tour event was a challenge. But over the past two years, she has made remarkable progress, breaking into the top 120 in the world. This achievement is the result of her relentless efforts. Starting from low-level challenger events, she has not only gradually honed her skills but also accumulated experience in facing different types of opponents. Her performance in this qualifier, especially her mental fortitude in key moments to turn things around, further reveals her limitless potential for the…

On January 12, 2025, the Australian Open Tennis Championships continued with a major upset in the first round. Last year's quarterfinalist and 29th seed, Marketa Vondrousova, lost 1-2 to Danish player Clara Tauson, becoming the first eliminated singles seed. Chinese players had a mixed day with one win and two losses, with only Zheng Qinwen advancing. In the women's singles, the first seeded player of this year's Australian Open was eliminated. Czech star and 29th seed Marketa Vondrousova suffered a comeback defeat, losing 7-5/3-6/4-6 to Danish player Clara Tauson. After leading 1-0, she lost two consecutive sets. Recall that in last year's Australian Open, Vondrousova made a strong rise, defeating Swiatek to reach the quarterfinals, leaving a deep impression on many. However, this year she started off poorly, indicating that her overall abilities still fall short. Chinese players experienced both joy and concern. Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen did not have an easy victory, winning 7-6(3)/6-1 against Romanian player Elena-Gabriela Ruse. In the first set, her opponent took the lead, but Zheng saved three match points and seized the opportunity in the tiebreak. In the second set, as Zheng found her rhythm, Ruse was helpless. As the runner-up of last year's Australian Open, Zheng has now advanced to the second round for four consecutive years. As for Wang Xinyu, her performance was average, losing 3-6/6-7(5) to 11th seed Spanish player Paula Badosa. This result was not unexpected, but the process was somewhat regrettable. In the first set, Wang led 3-1 but failed to maintain her advantage, allowing Badosa to win five…

On January 12th, Beijing time, in the first round of the 2025 Australian Open, the fifth seed Zheng Qinwen defeated Todoni 2-0 to secure her first victory of the new season, with scores of 7-6(3), 6-1. Zheng Qinwen has successfully advanced through the first round in all four of her appearances at the Australian Open, and after this match, she earned 70 points and 200,000 Australian dollars. This victory did not come easily for Queen Wen, especially when she saved three match points after leading 5-3 in the first set, narrowly winning 7-6(3). She entered her rhythm in the second set, quickly securing a 6-1 victory. Her opponent, Todoni, was a young Romanian player who had qualified for the main draw. If Zheng Qinwen had been reversed in the first set, it would have undoubtedly affected her mentality. This match can be considered a close call. After the match, People's Daily sent congratulations: Chinese player Zheng Qinwen saved three match points in the first set, won the game through a tiebreak, and defeated her opponent in the second set to secure a good start at the Australian Open. In an on-site interview after the match, Zheng Qinwen said, "The more attention I receive, the greater the pressure I feel, which also motivates me to become a better player. I enjoy playing under pressure." At the post-match press conference, Zheng Qinwen said: "I give myself a 70 out of 100 for my first win at the Australian Open. If I had won the first set while leading 5-3, I would have…

In the first round of the Australian Open women's singles on January 12th, Beijing time, China's "No. 1" Zheng Qinwen defeated Romanian qualifier and dark horse Toudoni in straight sets (7-6(3), 6-1). Zheng Qinwen not only secured a winning start for the Chinese team but also advanced through the first round of the Australian Open for the fourth consecutive year. [World Rankings] Zheng Qinwen is ranked No. 5 in the world and is seeded No. 5 at this year's Australian Open, while Toudoni is ranked No. 110 in the world and qualified for the tournament through the qualifying rounds. [Match History] The two players had never faced each other before. [Match Review] In the first set, Toudoni put enough pressure on Zheng Qinwen, coupled with Zheng Qinwen's slow start, making the match very intense. The first six games saw both players holding their serves, despite Zheng Qinwen breaking serve first in the seventh game, she was broken back by Toudoni in her own serve-to-win game in the tenth game, leveling the score at 5-5. After both players held one more game, the match went into a tiebreak. In the tiebreak, Zheng Qinwen took the lead after drawing level at 2-all, winning four points in a row and eventually taking the first set 7-3. In the second set, Zheng Qinwen broke serve early in the second game, establishing a 2-0 lead. In the sixth game, Zheng Qinwen broke serve again, extending the lead to 5-1. With Zheng Qinwen holding serve in the seventh game, she also won the second set 6-1,…

On January 12th, Beijing time, the first day of the new season's Australian Open women's singles round welcomed its first match day, featuring several Chinese players including Zheng Qinwen, Wang Xinyu, and Yuan Yue. Due to the scheduling, the first victory at the Australian Open was achieved by a 17-year-old prodigy. Zheng Qinwen's match started at 8:30 am, while some players had already begun their matches at 8 am, including Russian prodigy Mira Andreeva, whose first-round opponent was Buzkova. In this Australian Open, Mira Andreeva is ranked as the 14th seed, sharing the same 1/8th quarter with Sabalenka and the same 1/4th quarter with Zheng Qinwen. Whether advancing to the quarterfinals or aiming for the semifinals, Mira Andreeva faces significant challenges. Mira Andreeva's first-round opponent was Buzkova, ranked 42nd in the world. In the first set, Mira Andreeva started with a break, followed by Buzkova breaking back in the second game. By the seventh game, Mira Andreeva broke again, securing consecutive holds and breaks in the eighth and ninth games to win the first set 6-3. In the second set, both players engaged in a series of breaks, with Mira Andreeva breaking three times and Buzkova twice. In the ninth game, Mira Andreeva reached her match-winning serve, successfully holding serve to win the second set 6-3, defeating Buzkova 2-0 overall. She earned a prize of 200,000 Australian dollars (approximately 900,000 RMB) and 70 points. Due to heavy rain interrupting other Australian Open matches, Mira Andreeva and Buzkova's match ended earliest, making Mira Andreeva the first player to advance in this…