Recently, the latest world rankings of the WTA were announced, confirming that Zheng Qinwen will compete in the women's singles event of the 2025 Australian Open as the No. 5 seed, marking her first appearance as a top-five seed in a Grand Slam tournament. The top eight seeds for the women's singles at the Australian Open are as follows: Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff, Paolini, Zheng Qinwen, Rybakina, Pegula, and Navarro. According to the schedule of the Australian Open, the qualifying rounds will be held first, with matches involving higher-seeded players scheduled for next week. Notably, CCTV5 will provide live coverage, with Zheng Qinwen's matches being a focal point. CCTV is set to broadcast every match, ensuring comprehensive coverage!
Due to Zheng Qinwen's withdrawal from the United Cup and her non-participation in the WTA500 Adelaide tournament, many fans have expressed concerns about her competitive form, especially considering that her rivals such as Sabalenka, Swiatek, and Rybakina have been actively participating in recent competitions and gradually regaining their competitive edge. For Zheng Qinwen, starting the new season with such challenging matches presents a significant challenge. However, looking back at last season, each competition for Zheng Qinwen was filled with difficulties that she overcame.
Taking the Paris Olympics as an example, Zheng Qinwen was not favored by everyone, and her journey to the finals could be described as a miraculous survival, particularly in the women's singles semifinals! At that time, Zheng Qinwen faced Swiatek in the semifinals. They had previously met seven times, with Zheng Qinwen suffering defeats in all encounters, and Swiatek's world ranking far surpassed Zheng Qinwen's. Under such circumstances, Zheng Qinwen successfully withstood the pressure and won two consecutive sets against Swiatek's fierce attacks, defeating the then world No. 1 with scores of 6-2, 7-5. Following this victory, Zheng Qinwen went on to defeat the equally formidable Vekic in the final, claiming the gold medal in the women's singles at the Paris Olympics.
The Australian Open may present numerous challenges, which might not be favorable for Zheng Qinwen, who has not competed recently. However, what does it matter? As the saying goes, "risk coexists with reward." Although many top athletes have registered for the Australian Open, the prize money is also substantial. It is reported that the total prize money for this event amounts to 96.5 million Australian dollars, equivalent to approximately 430 million Chinese yuan, with both the men's and women's singles champions receiving increased prize money of 3.5 million Australian dollars, approximately 15.92 million Chinese yuan.
In other words, if Zheng Qinwen can win the championship at the Australian Open, she would receive approximately 15.92 million yuan and break her personal best record at the Australian Open! Last season, Zheng Qinwen made her way through the Australian Open, overcoming strong opponents such as Ashlyn Krueger, Katie Boulter, Anna Kalinskaya, and Dayana Yastremska to reach the final. Although she lost to Sabalenka in the final, she still secured the runner-up position, becoming the first post-00s player in China's women's tennis history to reach the Australian Open women's singles final.