Aryna Sabalenka: Defending champion survives first test after Qinwen Zheng, who lost last year’s final, is shocked | Tennis News

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka survived her first Australian Open test, but last year’s finalist Qinwen Zheng suffered a shock second-round exit.

Chinese star Zheng reached her first Grand Slam tournament here last year before winning Olympic gold and establishing herself as one of the best players in the world.

But she failed against 36-year-old German Laura Siegmund, known for her prowess in doubles, and lost 7-6 (7-3) and 6-3.

“I don’t think there’s much to say because I tried my best during this match,” Cheng said. “I feel like today is probably not my day. There are too many details in the important points. I didn’t make the right choice.”

“I knew I had to play beyond my best,” said Siegemund, who earned her first top-10 win since 2022.

“I had nothing to lose, so I told myself to swing free. She’s an amazing player, one of the best right now. But I know I can play and I just wanted to make it a tough fight.”

Sabalenka also faced a problem when she lost 5-2 in the second set to Spain’s Jessica Posas Manero, but the top seed extended her winning streak at Melbourne Park to 16 matches with a 6-3, 7-5 win.

“I am very happy to finish this match in straight sets,” Sabalenka said. “I played great tennis, especially in the second set. I’m really happy that I was able to turn this set around.”

The story of the tape

The Belarusian next faces the talented young Dane Clara TowsonWho beat Tatiana Maria 6-2, 6-2.

Naomi Osaka She has not progressed past the third round in a Grand Slam tournament since winning her second title in Melbourne in 2021.

But the former world number one started the season strong and followed up her first-round victory over Caroline Garcia by coming back from a set down to beat 20th seed Karolina Muchova 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.

Her draw couldn’t have been easier with the former top 10 star and fellow mother Belinda Bencic the next.

The Swiss player returns to the four major tennis tournaments after the birth of her daughter, Bella, last April.

Bencic enjoys the change in routine, saying: “We do more fun things and try to go out for a walk or try to go to the aquarium. I don’t think I’ll ever go to an aquarium before.”

“So, it’s definitely changed in terms of family time. There are different things to do now in terms of preparation, but it’s better because, I think, it takes my mind off tennis a little bit.”

Seventeen years Mira Andreeva The fourteenth seed defeated Moyoka Uchijima in a very difficult encounter with a score of 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (10-8), while the seventh seed eventually won 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (10-8). Jessica Pegula She defeated Elise Mertens 6-4, 6-2.

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