MELBOURNE, Jan 12, (V7N) – Fifth seed Zheng Qinwen overcame a spirited challenge from Romanian Anca Todoni to win 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 in the first round of the Australian Open on Sunday.

In a match disrupted by storms affecting outside courts, the Olympic champion battled through a 75-minute opening set before finding her rhythm to dominate the second.

First Set Drama: Zheng saved three set points at 5-6 and used her experience to take the tiebreak, clinching the opener after a marathon 75 minutes.

Strong Finish: Zheng dominated the second set, racing to a 3-0 lead and sealing the win with an ace after nearly two hours of play.

Crowd Support: A large contingent of Chinese fans cheered Zheng on, boosting her confidence in crucial moments.

"I am just happy to win the match," Zheng said, crediting the crowd for their support.

The 22-year-old has been on a remarkable rise:

2024 Highlights: Olympic gold medalist in Paris, three WTA titles, and a runner-up finish at the WTA Finals in Riyadh.

World Ranking: Zheng ended 2024 ranked world number five, cementing her place among the game’s elite.

Zheng will face either Germany’s Laura Siegemund or American Hailey Baptiste in the second round on Wednesday as she looks to improve on her runner-up finish in Melbourne last year.

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