Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen won’t be repeating her surprising run to the Australian Open final in 2025 after a second-round upset loss to No. 97-ranked Laura Siegemund on Wednesday. Zheng lost the 2024 championship match at Melbourne Park to Aryna Sabalenka and went on to win the Olympic gold medal in Paris and finish

By Shrivathsa Sridhar MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Last year's runner-up Zheng Qinwen was sent crashing out of the Australian Open second round on Wednesday as her bid to emulate Chinese compatriot Li Na's 2014 triumph evaporated after a shock 7-6(3) 6-3 defeat by unseeded German Laura Siegemund.

German veteran Laura Siegemund has powered past reigning Australian Open finalist Qinwen Zheng in straight sets to deliver the most dramatic upset of the first four days at Melbourne Park.

Rising star Qinwen Zheng lost in the second round to 36-year-old Laura Siegemund, ranked 97. How did the German unseat last year's finalist?

Last year's beaten finalist Zheng Qinwen blamed the lack of a warm-up event and a serve clock violation for her shock Australian Open exit in straight sets to German veteran Laura Siegemund on Wednesday.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Distracted by a time penalty and unable to counteract No. 97-ranked Laura Siegemund's aggressive ... and finish runner-up at the WTA Finals in a breakout season.

Zheng lost the 2024 championship match at Melbourne Park to Aryna Sabalenka and went on to win the Olympic gold medal in Paris and finish runner-up at the WTA Finals in a breakout season.