Sabalenka dodges upset, as Zheng exit rocks women’s draw
MELBOURNE—Last year’s runner-up Zheng Qinwen was knocked out of the Australian Open on Wednesday in the biggest shock so far, but defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and two-time winner Naomi Osaka battled into the third round.
Carlos Alcaraz was an emphatic victor in just 81 minutes over Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka as the Spaniard bids to lift the Melbourne crown for the first time.
Olympic champion Zheng was sent packing, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 by world No. 97 Laura Siegemund, the second-oldest player in the draw at age 36.
“I knew I just had to play more than my best tennis. I had nothing to lose so I just told myself to swing free,” said the German.
“It’s tennis. Nothing more,” said China’s Zheng, 22, who was given two time violations and lost her cool as her tilt at a maiden major crown evaporated in only the second round.
On center court Sabalenka dropped her serve three times and faced 11 break points before overcoming Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, 6-3, 7-5, rattling off the last five games in a row.
“She played incredible tennis today and it was a really tough one. I expected this tennis from her, I’m really glad I was able to win this match,” said Sabalenka, who beat Zheng in the 2024 final.
The win kept the Belarusian world No. 1 on course for a rare hat-trick of Australian Open titles, a feat last achieved 26 years ago by Martina Hingis and only matched by four other women in history.
Osaka triumphs
Former world No. 1 Osaka, the 2019 and 2021 champion in Australia who is now unseeded, stormed back to defeat 20th seed Karolina Muchova, 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.
American seventh seed Jessica Pegula, beaten in the US Open final by Sabalenka last year, eased through, 6-4, 6-2, against Belgium’s Elise Mertens.
Four-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz dropped just five games in an ominous display of strength to sprint into the third round.
The third seed showed no mercy to Nishioka in a 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 rout.
“The less time you spend on court in the Grand Slams, especially in the beginning, it is going to be better,” said Alcaraz, who is yet to go beyond the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park.
