bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Agence France-Presse

Thunderstorms lashed Melbourne Park on the opening day of the Australian Open, but fifth seed Zheng Qinwen safely reached round two.
Less than an hour of play was possible on the outside courts on the first morning before an intense storm hit, sending spectators scurrying for cover as thunder crashed overhead and torrential rain left walkways looking like rivers.
Matches were able to continue on the three covered courts, and Zheng, the runner-up last year in the women’s singles, opened proceedings on Rod Laver Arena.
The Chinese star, who went on to win Olympic gold in Paris, did not have things all her own way against Romanian qualifier Anca Todoni but battled to a 7-6, 6-1 victory.

Zheng looked in complete control serving for the set at 5-4 and leading 40-0, only for Todoni to win five points in a row.
The Romanian then held three set points with Zheng serving at 5-6 but could not take any of them and things were comfortable for the fifth seed thereafter.
“The first match is always not easy,” Zheng said in her on-court interview. “She’s playing really good but I was doing a bit stupid mistakes at 5-4, 40-0 – I don’t know what happened there.”
Japanese veteran Kei Nishikori dug deep to save two match points in an epic five-set win over Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro on John Cain Arena.
And the 35-year-old admitted that he almost quit tennis last year after lengthy battles with injury, but the dream of playing in Melbourne kept him going.
Nishikori, who reached a career-high No 4 in the world and was a US Open finalist a decade ago, rallied to win 4-6, 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 in four hours, six minutes.
“I almost gave up at match point,” said Nishikori, who is on the comeback trail after spending years sidelined by major hip surgery and an ankle injury. “He was playing very good and was on a roll. But I somehow fought through.”
After his injury battles, Nishikori last year returned to contest his first two grand slams since the 2021 season, reaching the second round at Roland Garros before retiring with a shoulder problem.
He recovered to play at Wimbledon, losing in the first round, but admitted it had been touch and go whether he would keep going.
“Almost, last year, because I had my knee and shoulder two years ago, and I almost came back. I got injured again,” he said when asked if he had considered quitting.
“I was thinking, if I have maybe another surgery, then I think mentally I’m not able to fight any more.”
But he said he still loved to compete.
“I wanted to play [again] in a big stadium, like today,” he said. “That was my goal a year ago when I was doing rehab.”
He gave a glimpse of his progress by making his first final in six years at the Hong Kong Open this month.
Nishikori, who became the first grand slam men’s singles finalist from Asia at the US Open in 2014, had played eight five-set matches at Melbourne Park before meeting Monteiro, and lost only once – against Roger Federer in 2017. He has a 29-8 record in five-set matches at tour level.

“I think my focus level, it’s always high, especially in the last set,” he said.
Now coached by 2002 Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson, he will next play either American 12th seed Tommy Paul or Australia’s Chris O’Connell.
Teenager Mirra Andreeva could be a factor come the latter stages of the tournament and she began strongly with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Marie Bouzkova.
Three-time grand-slam finalist Casper Ruud, the world No 6 from Norway, beat Jaume Munar of Spain 6-3, 1-6, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1.


Australian Open, day 6: fired-up Novak Djokovic sends warning, Naomi Osaka bows out injured

Australian Open, day 4: Zheng Qinwen says ‘not my day’ after shock loss, Naomi Osaka wins

Why NBA, tennis could bypass Hong Kong despite its new HK$30 billion Kai Tak Sports Park

Australian Open day 3: three Chinese win, three exit – as Daniil Medvedev destroys racquet

WTA (Women's Tennis Association)

Australian Open, day 1: Zheng Qinwen battles through, Nishikori saves match points in epic

Zheng Qinwen has made it safely into the second round of the Australian Open. Photo: EPA-EFE

Japan’s Kei Nishikori has fought back from a run of injuries to take his place at the Australian Open. Photo: AFP

Kei Nishikori shows his relief after beating Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro in Melbourne. Photo: AFP

Australian Open: defiant nearly man Rublev keeps grand slam belief ahead of awkward start

Andrey Rublev fires a backhand during his Bank of China Hong Kong Open loss to Fabian Marozsan. Photo: Elson Li

Rublev is the only man in the open era to lose his opening 10 grand slam quarter-finals. Photo: Elson Li

Kei Nishikori hits out during his Hong Kong Open semi-final clash with Jerry Shang Juncheng. Photo: Dickson Lee

Fencing’s newest teenage star Jaelyn Liu talks Olympic goals, Chinese parents and ballet

Jaelyn Liu’s victory over Martina Sinigalia made her the youngest winner of a Foil World Cup event. Photo: Edmond So

Jaelyn Liu (right) and Martina Sinigalia battle it out during the final of the Women’s Foil World Cup. Photo: Edmond So

Comeback king Alexandre Muller beats Kei Nishikori to win Hong Kong Tennis Open

Alexandre Muller holds the trophy after winning the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open at Victoria Park. Photo: Dickson Lee

Alexandre Muller is elated as he wins the Hong Kong Open at Victoria Park. Photo: Dickson Lee

Members of the public try Pickleball in the fan zone at Victoria Park. Photo: Dickson Lee

Sport

Tennis

Misfiring Zheng overcomes tough test from Romanian qualifier Anca Todoni, as storms lash Melbourne Park


Misfiring Zheng overcomes tough test from Romanian qualifier Anca Todoni, as storms lash Melbourne Park.


Australian Open