Shocking Upset at Australian Open: Zheng Qinwen Crashes Out to Low-Ranked Opponent

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Distracted by a time penalty and unable to counteract No. 97-ranked Laura Siegemund's aggressive approach, Zheng Qinwen's loss in the second round Wednesday fell a long way short of last year's run to the Australian Open. The highly touted Chinese player had been expected to make a deep run in the tournament, but instead found herself on the wrong end of a stunning upset.

Siegemund, who has struggled to find consistency in her game in recent years, played some of the best tennis of her life to take down the favored Zheng. The German player's aggressive style proved to be too much for Zheng, who was unable to find her rhythm and was ultimately undone by a series of unforced errors.

The time penalty, which was called against Zheng for taking too long between points, seemed to rattle the young Chinese player and disrupt her focus. Despite her best efforts to regain her composure, Zheng was unable to overcome the deficit and eventually fell to Siegemund in a closely contested match.

Meanwhile, Naomi Osaka rallied to advance to the next round, dodging a potential upset of her own. The Japanese star, who has been working to regain her form after a difficult 2022 season, showed flashes of her old self in a hard-fought victory over a determined opponent. Osaka's win sets up an intriguing matchup in the next round, as she looks to continue her quest for another Grand Slam title.

The Australian Open, which is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the tennis world, has already seen its fair share of surprises and upsets in the early going. With several top players struggling to find their form, the door is open for lower-ranked opponents to make a deep run and potentially pull off a major upset. As the tournament continues to unfold, fans can expect plenty of exciting matches and unexpected twists and turns.