Australian Open: Second Grand Slam Champion Eliminated, Zheng Qinwen's Title Hopes Diminish On January 13th, Beijing time, the second day of the first round of the new season's Australian Open women's singles saw a focus match between Coco Gauff and Sloane Stephens. Ultimately, Gauff defeated Stephens 6-3, 6-3 in straight sets, advancing to the next round. Stephens became the second Grand Slam champion to be eliminated from the tournament. Meanwhile, Zheng Qinwen's second-round opponent has yet to be determined as Baptiste and Siegemund played until the final set. This was an American derby with Gauff ranked third in the world and Stephens at 81st. Both have won Grand Slam titles, with Gauff claiming the US Open and Stephens winning the Australian Open back in 2020, though she is no longer at her peak. Last week, Gauff achieved a five-match singles winning streak, helping the U.S. team win the United Cup championship, showing excellent form. However, she had previously lost twice to Stephens on Grand Slam courts, once in the fourth round of the 2020 Australian Open and again in the first round of the 2023 Wimbledon. Compared to Stephens, who is experiencing a decline in form, Gauff started strong by breaking serve and quickly took a 2-0 lead. Stephens broke back immediately, but by the sixth game, Gauff broke again to establish a 4-2 advantage. They both held serve afterward, and Gauff took the first set 6-3. Statistically, Gauff hit eight aces and made six double faults in the first set, while Stephens had zero aces and double faults, with…

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,…

In the first round of the new season's Australian Open women's singles, the fifth-seeded Zheng Qinwen refused to be eliminated in the first round and eventually defeated qualifier Todoni in straight sets with a score of 7-6, 6-1, advancing to at least the second round for the fourth consecutive year. After the match, Zheng Qinwen talked about her feelings after winning the first round, saying that the match was won with great difficulty and that she did not play at her best level. She was very happy to have passed the test of the first round. According to the schedule, Zheng Qinwen will play in the next round on January 15, but her opponent has not yet been determined. After advancing to the second round of the Australian Open, Zheng Qinwen earned 70 points and a prize of 200,000 Australian dollars (about 900,000 yuan). Her total points reached 5395, and she remained ranked fifth in the world. However, she is only 14 points behind the fourth-ranked Polini, making it possible for her to rise to the world's fourth position in the near future. After the end of the 2024 year-end finals, Zheng Qinwen had 5340 points and was locked in fifth place, trailing Polini by 4 points, which is already very close to the world's fourth position. Entering the new season, Zheng Qinwen chose to temporarily withdraw from the Tennis United Cup, while Polini participated and won two group matches, reaching a total of 5399 points, expanding her lead to 74 points and continuing to rank fourth in the world.…

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…

The Australian Open, which is receiving great attention, is in full swing. Chinese Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen won a thrilling victory over the 18-year-old Todoni in the first round of the competition. For Zheng Qinwen, this not only earned her 70 points but also a prize of 900,000 yuan. With just one match played, Zheng Qinwen has already earned 900,000 yuan. Many fans are amazed that Zheng Qinwen's income from winning one game is equivalent to what Sun Yingsha earns in half a year. Indeed, last year, Sun Yingsha, ranked first in the world in women's singles and mixed doubles in table tennis, only earned 1.71 million yuan in prize money. Let's take a look at the events Sun Yingsha participated in last year. From the beginning of last year until the Chongqing Championship before the Olympics, Sun Yingsha was almost fully present. Including the Busan Team World Table Tennis Championships, Singapore Grand Slam, Macau World Cup, Saudi Arabia Grand Slam, and Chongqing Championship, Sun Yingsha did not miss any of them. At the Paris Olympics, Sun Yingsha even competed in three events. After the Olympics, Sun Yingsha also participated in the Macau Championship, China Grand Slam, and Asian Championships. After the Asian Championships, due to injury, Sun Yingsha missed the European Frankfurt and French Championships. These were the only few events she missed. At the end of the year, Sun Yingsha also competed in the year-end finals and the Chengdu Mixed Team World Cup! However, throughout the year, Sun Yingsha only earned 1.71 million yuan in prize money. In…

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 first round of the new season's Australian Open women's singles, the fifth-seeded Zheng Qinwen refused to be eliminated in the first round and eventually defeated qualifier Todoni in straight sets with scores of 7-6 and 6-1, advancing to at least the second round for the fourth consecutive year. After the match, Zheng Qinwen talked about her feelings on winning the first round, saying that the match was won with great difficulty and that she did not perform at her best level. She was happy to have passed the test of the first round. According to the schedule, Zheng Qinwen will play in the next round on January 15, but her opponent has not yet been determined. After advancing to the second round of the Australian Open, Zheng Qinwen earned 70 points and a prize of 200,000 Australian dollars (approximately 900,000 yuan). Her total points reached 5395, and she remained ranked fifth in the world. However, she is only 14 points behind the fourth-ranked Polini, making it imminent for her to rise to the world's fourth position. After the end of the 2024 year-end finals, Zheng Qinwen had 5340 points, securing fifth place, trailing Polini by 4 points, which is very close to the world's fourth position. Entering the new season, Zheng Qinwen chose to temporarily withdraw from the Tennis United Cup, while Polini participated and won two group matches, accumulating a total of 5399 points, expanding her lead to 74 points and continuing to rank fourth in the world. Now at the Australian Open, Zheng Qinwen made her…

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…

Recently, according to official news, in recognition of the outstanding achievements of our athletes at the 33rd Summer Olympic Games and the 17th Summer Paralympic Games, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions has decided to award the National May Day Labor Medal to 29 athletes who won gold medals, including Zheng Qinwen, Wang Chuqin, Pan Zhanle, etc. In addition, four sports teams, including the national hardcourt mixed team, the national Paralympic swimming men's and women's mixed 4x50m medley relay 20 points, the national wheelchair fencing men's epee team, and the national swimming team, have been awarded the National Model Worker Pioneer. Although Zheng Qinwen has won countless awards, the National May Day Labor Medal is different from others, as it comes with tangible rewards! It can be said without exaggeration that even if Zheng Qinwen announces her retirement later, it will provide her with a certain level of security. It is understood that in addition to receiving a National May Day Labor Medal, Zheng Qinwen can also receive a one-time bonus of 10,000 yuan. Moreover, Zheng Qinwen's salary after retirement can be increased, with a potential raise of 5%-15% on top of her existing salary. More importantly, Zheng Qinwen can enjoy the treatment of a provincial model worker, with the privilege of exemption from entrance exams for higher education. However, although these rewards seem very attractive, they are only average for Zheng Qinwen, as she has already achieved financial freedom! At the end of the 2024 season, Zheng Qinwen successfully made it onto Forbes' list of the world's highest-paid female…