MELBOURNE, Australia — The journey that Zheng Qinwen has embarked upon over the past year has significantly transformed her tennis profile, particularly since her arrival at the Australian Open last year. Despite her remarkable achievements in 2024, including finishing as a runner-up at Melbourne Park and securing an Olympic gold medal for China, she felt a surge of nerves prior to stepping onto the court at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday.
In her inaugural match of the tournament, Zheng faced some challenges but ultimately triumphed over Anca Todoni, a 20-year-old qualifier from Romania, with a score of 7-6 (3), 6-1. The first day of this major event was marked by stormy weather, adding to the intensity of her debut.
“I actually feel really nervous,” said Zheng, who holds the No. 5 seed. “The nervousness began for me yesterday, as I always have a special feeling for the Australian Open…I really enjoy it here.” Her affection for the tournament is understandable, especially considering that it was during last year’s event that she reached her first Grand Slam final, only to be defeated by Aryna Sabalenka.
On Sunday night, Sabalenka, the two-time champion, was set to commence her title defense as the top seed against Sloane Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open winner. Following that matchup, men’s No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev was to go head-to-head with Lucas Pouille.
Among the day’s events, two of the first three men’s matches to conclude were decided in five sets. Notably, Kei Nishikori, a 2014 U.S. Open finalist, saved two match points in his third set before rallying to defeat qualifier Thiago Monteiro in a thrilling 4-6, 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 contest. Meanwhile, No. 6 seed Casper Ruud, a three-time Grand Slam finalist, secured victory over Jaume Munar by a score of 6-3, 1-6, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1.
Nishikori celebrated his return to Melbourne after a four-year hiatus due to injuries, raising his arms in triumph and inadvertently losing his hat after improving to a remarkable 29-8 record in five-set matches overall, with a striking 8-1 performance at the Australian Open.
Prior to her impressive run in Australia last January, Zheng had participated in only eight major tournaments, making it to one quarterfinal. Her breakthrough performance led to a phenomenal season that culminated in her clinching a gold medal at the Paris Games in August.
At just 22 years old, Zheng’s powerful game is well-suited for hard courts, and the controlled environment of an indoor venue further benefitted her against Todoni. Zheng found her rhythm despite the storm raging outside, which caused disruption to matches not played under a roof. Although she faced some hurdles, including squandering set points when serving for the opener at 5-4, she managed to hold off Todoni later in the set. Zheng reflected that nerves usually enhance her focus, though she admitted not playing her best in this match.
The second set proved to be a much smoother affair for Zheng, who found her groove as Todoni was forced to take a medical timeout for a lower back issue after the third game.
Zheng was among the limited number of players who completed their matches on a day when the tournament’s format had been spread across 15 days, following a scheduling change last year that allowed the first round to unfold over three days. This extended time frame is particularly crucial this week, with Monday’s schedule packed with matches featuring top players like Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, and Iga Swiatek.
Additional victories on Sunday included No. 14 seed Mirra Andreeva, a promising 17-year-old from Russia, No. 18 seed Donna Vekic, and No. 20 seed Arthur Fils, who won his opener in four sets.
“It’s definitely easier to complete a match under the roof than to have to pause due to rain,” remarked Fils after his triumph over Otto Virtanen from Finland with a scoreline of 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4, 6-4. “Overall, it’s a nice experience.”
