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 due to the natural evolution of competitive sports.
The No. 2 seed made a successful start, with Polish star Swiatek defeating Czech player Siniakova 6-3/6-4. Her record in the first round of the four Grand Slams is an impressive 23 wins and 1 loss, showing remarkable consistency. Her next opponent will be Slamkova. The No. 3 seed also achieved another feat, with American star Gauff defeating Kenning 2-0. Kenning, a former Australian Open champion, had poor luck in the draw, facing a top-four seed right from the start, leaving her with no chance to compete.
In other matches, No. 12 seed Schneider defeated Korechato 2-0, No. 23 seed Fletcher eliminated Kudermetova 2-0, No. 25 seed Samsonova swept past Lakshmikova 2-0, and No. 28 seed Svitolina beat Costia 2-0. Wimbledon champion Muchova withdrew due to injury, with many fans wishing her a speedy recovery and hoping to see the Czech star at the next French Open.
Additionally, Zheng Qinwen's opponent in the second round has been determined, which is German veteran Siegemund, who reversed American player Barty 4-6/7-5/6-4. Siegemund's singles level is average, having won a Grand Slam doubles title, so Zheng Qinwen should have no major issues if she performs normally.