Chinese fifth seed Zheng Qinwen overcame a stern test in the first round of the Australian Open on Sunday against Romanian qualifier Anca Todoni.
Zheng, who reached the final at Melbourne Park 12 months ago, fended off a trio of set points in the opener before winning 7-6(3), 6-1. The world No.5 dropped her serve only once in the match, hitting 29 winners against 21 unforced errors. She has now won 11 out of 13 first-round matches played at Grand Slam events, with her only defeats occurring at Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024.
“It was a tough match today. I think my opponent, she’s playing really good. I’m just happy to get through the first round when playing not my best tennis,” Zheng said afterward.
The Olympic champion admits she struggled with nerves ahead of her opening match despite her credentials. The 22-year-old won three WTA titles last season, including the Paris Olympic Games.
“I felt really nervous. I started to feel nervous yesterday because I felt a special emotion for the Australian Open,” she explains.
“I feel it’s one of the biggest tournaments. I really like it here.
“But when I feel nervous, actually I play better. I’m more concentrated. I made less mistakes. But I would say when I had 5-3 (in the first set), I was thinking that moment the nervous doesn’t make me play my best tennis out there.”
Zheng has now won nine matches at the Australian Open in her career which is her second-best performance at a major event after the US Open where she has won 10 matches. She will next play either Laura Siegemund or Hailey Baptiste.
Andreeva marches on
Russian rising star Mirra Andreeva has also secured her place in the second round after beating Czech Republic’s Marie Bouzkova 6-3, 6-3. Despite her straight sets win, Andreeva did at times struggle with her serve and was broken three times in the match. Furthermore, she hit 27 unforced errors alongside 27 winners.
“It’s always very special, the first win at a slam. I’m just super happy with the way I played today. Super happy to play more matches in Melbourne,” she said.
17-year-old Andreeva is one of five teenagers participating in the women’s main draw but is the only one to be seeded. She is coached on the Tour by former Grand Slam champion Conchita Martinez who has also previously worked with Garbine Muguruza.
The 14th seed has revealed some of her rituals during tournaments which include what she describes as ‘complicated’ food habits.
“If I start the tournament eating chicken and rice I can’t change after. I can’t take pasta or I can’t take anything else. I’ll always take chicken and rice,” she explained in her press conference.
“I have a pretty special thing. I like to eat rice with a bit of parmesan cheese on top. I don’t know. I have never seen anyone doing that, but I really like it.
“Since the start of the tournament, if I start like this, I’ve got to continue like this. Even if I’m tired, I have no choice, but I have to eat it.”
Martinez has attempted to help stop Andreeva’s superstitions at the start of this season but it hasn’t gone to plan.
“In Brisbane, I won my first match, and she was doing the recovery shake for me and she spilled the powder all over the players desk,” said Andreeva.
“Since then she was coming there after each match I won and spilling the powder. I didn’t know about this. So the girl from the players desk told me, and I was like, ‘Okay but you told me we stop this and you do it by yourself’.
“So I guess the moment to stop it isn’t here yet. We’re going to continue. Maybe next year we’ll try to avoid it.”
Awaiting Andreeva in the next round will be either Magda Linette or Moyuka Uchijima.