Laura Siegemund eliminates Olympic gold medallist Qinwen Zheng

Last year’s Australian Open finalist has been knocked out by a low-profile tour veteran in the biggest upset of the tournament so far.

Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng has been dumped out of the Australian Open in the second round after a shock straight sets defeat to German veteran Laura Siegemund.

Siegemund, 36, scored one of the biggest wins of her singles career to oust the No. 5 seed with a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 victory on John Cain Arena.

Zheng’s departure came as world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka brushed off a brief scare in the second set of her clash with Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro to advance with a 6-3, 7-5 victory.

Sabalenka went down a break to the world No. 54 but collected herself to storm home after overcoming her first real challenge of the tournament.

Zheng, who lost to Sabalenka in last year’s final in a breakout tournament which launched her brilliant 2024 campaign, lost composure after receiving a time violation on her serve at a crucial moment in the second set.

Eliminated 2024 finalist Qinwen Zheng remonstrates with the chair umpire after being handed a code violation in the second set. Picture: Daniel Pockett / Getty Images

The big-serving Chinese star remonstrated with the chair umpire, complaining the countdown clock was to difficult to see when she was preparing to serve.

She badly framed her subsequent second serve before another double fault two points later handed Siegemund the break and a road to victory.

“I was so surprised to get that second serve (time violation), because it has never happened to me before,” Zheng said after her match.

“If the time was directly in my vision zone, straight away I would serve it.

“Obviously that one really distracted me from the match – this is my fourth year on the tour and I’ve never had that happen to me. I didn’t lose the match for that (though).”

Zheng, 22, said she had to convince her team she was fit to play at the Australian Open after injury issues meant she “did not have enough time” to play a lead-in tournament after November’s WTA tour finals.

World No. 97 Laura Siegemund is through to the third round at Melbourne Park for the third time after a shock victory against Qinwen Zheng. Picture: Daniel Pockett / Getty Images

Siegemund, ranked No. 97 in the world, lacked the power of her opponent but was metronomic on serve, managing just a single ace but landing her first serve at a remarkable rate of 83 per cent for the match.

A brilliant forehand passing shot from behind the baseline was met with raucous cheers from the crowd to take her to a 5-2 lead in the second set.

A former world No. 4 on the doubles circuit, Siegemund has twice made it to the third round at Melbourne Park in 2016 and 2023.

She collapsed to the ground in ecstasy after securing the victory in the two-hour, 16-minute battle.

Her best result in a singles grand slam draw was a quarter-final appearance at Roland Garros in 2020.

Osaka’s gutsy comeback sets up Bencic battle

Dual Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka has come back from a set down to beat 20th seed Karolina Muchova in a statement victory on her way to the third round.

Osaka maintained her superb record (21-6) in three-set grand slam matches as she set up a blockbuster clash with returning new mother Belinda Bencic on Friday.

The victory marked Osaka’s first visit to the third round of a grand slam since she went on her own maternity leave in 2022.

She said it was difficult “from the first point” against Muchova, who threatened to blast her off the court in an authoritative first set performance before Osaka returned fire to claim a rousing 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 win.

Osaka’s consecutive three-set victories after overcoming an abdominal injury vindicated her gut-wrenching decision to withdraw midway through the final of the ASB Classic in Auckland.

She had claimed the first set 6-4 against Clara Tauson in her first tour final since 2021.

Naomi Osaka celebrates after advancing to the third round of a grand slam for the first time since 2022. Picture: Paul Cook / AFP

Bencic, also 27, followed her stunning first-round win over No. 16 seed Jelena Ostapenko to dispatch Dutchwoman Suzan Lamens in straight sets on Wednesday.

The two wins were the Swiss star’s first grand slam triumphs since returning after the birth of her daughter, Bella, in April.

The Tokyo gold medallist entered the main draw at Melbourne Park using a protected ranking.

“I mean, it probably adds extra stuff for you guys, but not necessarily for me,” Osaka said about the clash between the two mothers.

“We are labelled ‘mums’ of course, but I think when you go on the tennis court, you just think of yourself as a tennis player.

“(Bencic) fights a lot. I’ve ... I don’t want to say ‘grown up with her’, but we’ve definitely seen each other on tour, and I think it’s really cool that she also had a baby and came back as well. She seems to be doing really good.”

Bencic said it loomed as a “fun match” on Friday.

“I think (Osaka) beat me last time, but I have a good record against her. But it doesn’t really mean anything anymore. I feel good to play her,” she said.

“I think it’s going to be a nice match, hopefully on a big court. I’m really enjoying being in the third round and to have an opportunity like this.”

Originally published as Laura Siegemund eliminates Olympic gold medallist Qinwen Zheng