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.

Zheng Qinwen is out of the Australian Open after a shock defeat to Germany’s Laura Siegemund. Zheng, the No. 5 seed and last year’s beaten finalist, lost 7-6(3), 6-3 after her serve unraveled in the fourth game of the second set.

Last year’s Australian Open runner-up Zheng Qinwen has crashed out in a huge upset in the second round at Melbourne Park to unfancied German veteran Laura Siegemund. The fifth-seeded Zheng came into the first major of 2025 in imperious form.

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?

The German veteran gave heartfelt thanks to partner Antonio Zucca, who also serves as her coach, after shocking 2024 finalist Zheng Qinwen on John Cain Arena Wendesday afternoon.

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka held on for a tough second-round win at the Australian Open on Wednesday, but last year's finalist Zheng Qinwen became the first Top 10 seed to fall this week.

In a surprising upset, unseeded German player Laura Siegemund defeated last year's runner-up Zheng Qinwen at the Australian Open's second round. Siegemund won the match 7-6(3) 6-3, thwarting Zheng's aspirations of replicating compatriot Li Na's 2014 victory at the Grand Slam.

In the Round of 32 at the Australian Open on Thursday, Laura Siegemund (ranked No. 97) takes on Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (No. 32).Pavlyuchenkova enters the Round of 32 after her three-set win on

Laura Siegemund is overcome with emotion after earning an upset victory over No. 5 Zheng Qinwen to reach the third round at the Australian Open.

Highlights of the sixth day of the Australian Open on Friday (all times GMT): 0340 VEKIC TRIUMPHS OVER SHNAIDER IN THREE-HOUR BATTLE Donna Vekic beat Diana Shnaider 7-6(4) 6-7(3) 7-5 in an evenly-matched battle of seeded players during a third-round match that lasted nearly three hours.

While there have been plenty of surprises in the men’s bracket so far, most of the top women have progressed through the draw without an issue.