In the second round of the Australian Open women's singles, Zheng Qinwen faced off against Siegemund. Zheng Qinwen is a 22-year-old Chinese tennis Olympic champion, while Siegemund is a 36-year-old German veteran. Despite a significant difference in competitive level and world ranking between the two, a major upset occurred. Ultimately, Zheng Qinwen lost 0-2 to the 36-year-old German veteran Siegemund, ending her journey in the second round of the Australian Open. Her prize money for this event was also fixed at 200,000 Australian dollars (equivalent to 907,000 RMB).
This match attracted the attention of many fans, with the live broadcast on CCTV reaching a peak of 3.868 million viewers online, demonstrating the high level of interest in Zheng Qinwen. Especially during the tense tie-breaker phase, the match became even more intense.
However, Zheng Qinwen started slowly again. In this match against Siegemund, the first set lasted 1 hour and 20 minutes, with Zheng Qinwen's first serve success rate and scoring rate both falling short. She lost the first set tie-breaker to her opponent.
In the second set, Zheng Qinwen still could not find her form. Her opponent Siegemund played more aggressively, gradually gaining control of the court. Zheng Qinwen could not find a way to counter, ultimately failing to achieve a comeback and losing the match 0-2, ending her run in the second round of the Australian Open women's singles.
Why is Zheng Qinwen's prize money set at 200,000 Australian dollars? According to the prize money distribution for this year's Australian Open, players who reach the second round of singles can receive 200,000 Australian dollars. If Zheng Qinwen had advanced to the third round, her prize money would have increased to 290,000 Australian dollars. The subsequent prize details are as follows: 420,000 Australian dollars (fourth round), 665,000 Australian dollars (quarterfinals), 1.1 million Australian dollars (semifinals), 1.9 million Australian dollars (runner-up), and 3.5 million Australian dollars (champion). Now that Zheng Qinwen has been eliminated in the second round, her prize money cannot increase further, thus it is fixed at 200,000 Australian dollars.
For Zheng Qinwen, losing to the 36-year-old German veteran Siegemund is indeed a pity. After all, Zheng Qinwen is the No. 5 seed in this year's Australian Open women's singles and has the potential to challenge for the championship. In fact, she almost achieved her dream last year, reaching the final of the Australian Open but ultimately finishing as the runner-up to Sabalenka. This year, Zheng Qinwen's technical level has improved significantly, and winning the Olympic gold medal has boosted her confidence considerably. It is truly regrettable that she did not advance beyond the second round of the Australian Open!
However, this is the charm of competitive sports. Athletes who stand on the stage of the four Grand Slam tennis events all have the dream of winning a Grand Slam title. Having advantages in world ranking, age, and technical level does not necessarily guarantee victory in a match. Now that Zheng Qinwen's elimination in the second round of the Australian Open has become a reality, we look forward to her adjusting her mentality and striving for good results in future Grand Slam events, continuing to challenge for the Grand Slam championship trophy and making her career even more glorious!