The Australian Open is heating up, and players from the Chinese mainland are making waves! 🌊 Out of the 11 stars who stepped onto Melbourne Park's courts, four showcased their prowess by advancing to the second round of this Grand Slam showdown. 🎾
Zheng Qinwen, seeded fifth, faced off against Romania's Anca Todoni in their first-ever clash. The match was intense, with the first set stretching over 75 minutes. But Zheng kept her cool, clinching a 7-6(3), 6-1 victory. 💪 Although her journey ended in the second round against Germany's Laura Siegemund, Zheng's performance left fans buzzing.
Veteran player Zhang Shuai, wielding a wildcard entry at 35 years young, brought her A-game against the USA's McCartney Kessler. With a solid 6-3, 6-4 win, she celebrated her first Grand Slam triumph in two years! 🎉
Wang Xiyu showcased true grit on the iconic Rod Laver Arena. After a challenging second set, she powered through to defeat Austria's Julia Grabher 6-1, 7-5. It's been three years since her last victory here, making this win extra special. 🏆
Don't forget about Wang Yafan! She staged an epic comeback against Hungary's Anna Bondar, overturning a set deficit to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Back-to-back second-round appearances at the Australian Open? Yes, please! 🙌
While four soared, seven others from the Chinese mainland gave it their all but exited in the first round. Wang Xinyu faced the formidable 11th-seeded Spaniard Paula Badosa, and Yuan Yue battled against Russia's former French Open runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in a marathon 136-minute match. Grand Slam newcomer Wei Sijia took on World No. 4 Jasmine Paolini of Italy, while Zheng Saisai wrapped up her first Australian Open in four years against Russia's Erika Andreeva.
In the men's bracket, the competition was fierce. Zhang Zhizhen pushed World No. 13 Holger Rune of Denmark to the limit in a grueling five-set thriller, ending 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. What a match! 🔥
Shang Juncheng had a tough break, withdrawing due to a foot injury during his face-off with Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Wishing him a speedy recovery! 🙏
Meanwhile, Buyunchaokete faced a straight-sets defeat against qualifier Hady Habib, who made history as the first Lebanese male to reach a Grand Slam singles main draw. Hats off to both players for their efforts! 🎩
The excitement is just getting started, and we can't wait to see how our players from the Chinese mainland will continue to light up the courts! Keep your eyes peeled for more action! 👀✨
Reference(s):
Four of 11 Chinese players advance to second round at Australian Open
cgtn.com
