China’s Zheng Qinwen suffered the biggest shock of the Australian Open so far, losing to German veteran Laura Siegemund 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 in the second round. As the fifth seed and Olympic singles gold medallist runner-up from last year, this defeat has caught many off guard.
Zheng was visibly frustrated with two time violations during the match, including one that cost her a first serve. When asked by the umpire why she couldn’t see the shot clock, Zheng said “Maybe today is not my day.” She also admitted to making mistakes and not choosing the right strategy.
Despite this setback, fellow top seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka won their respective matches. Sabalenka outsmarted Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-3 7-5, while Osaka came from behind to beat Karolina Muchova. Coco Gauff is set to take on a tough opponent later in the day.
Sabalenka jokingly told the crowd that she was not “crazy off court” and promised to be a nice person outside of competition. However, it remains to be seen if her teammates will agree with this assessment. With several high-stakes matches still to come, the Australian Open is shaping up to be an exciting tournament.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/articles/c4gwz5y3ylno