Chinese pack embarks to Aussie Open as Zheng eyes breakthrough

Zheng Qinwen of China plays a forehand against Alize Cornet of France during the Women's Singles Third Round match on Day 7 of The 2022 French Open at Roland Garros on May 28, 2022 in Paris, France. Photo: VCG

China's top-seeded player Zheng Qinwen will take on Ashlyn Krueger of the US in the first round of the Australian Open 2024 as the first Grand Slam event of the year kicks off at Melbourne Park on Sunday.

With a career-high ranking of world No.13, Zheng will be one of the three seeded Chinese players to compete in the Australian Open, while a total of nine Chinese made it into the season opener major event. 

Given the Most Improved Player Award in 2023 by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), 12th seed Zheng is joined by 29th seed Zhu Lin and 30th seed Wang Xinyu, who will make their first appearance as seeded players in the Australian Open. The 21-year-old is expected to banish memories of back-to-back second-round defeats at the Australian Open in 2022 and 2023.  

Zheng claimed her maiden WTA singles title in July 2023 before achieving her best Grand Slam run at the US Open, where she upset world No.5 Ons Jabeur to reach her first major quarterfinal. She concluded the year with her second title in the Zhengzhou Open.

Liu Yu, a Beijing-based sports commentator, told the Global Times on Thursday that Zheng has made steady progress in the past two years and is on course to go further in the major. 

"She has the potential to replicate her journey in the US Open last year and make breakthroughs in the coming event," said Liu. 

Despite parting company with coach Wim Fissette in September, who resumed working with former world No.1 Naomi Osaka of Japan, Zheng remains undisturbed and focused on her game.

Zheng recently said that after a season of refinement, she has begun to enjoy tennis, both on and off the court, staying focused on the present moment. Regarding her current goals, she consistently reminds herself to take it one step at a time. 

The 29th seed Zhu Lin, who made it to the last 16 in 2023, will face Oceane Dodin of France in the first round, while Wang Xinyu, who captured the women's doubles title in the French Open in 2023, will take on another French player Diane Perry.

Meanwhile, China's Zhang Zhizhen is trying to become the first man from the Chinese mainland to crack the world top 50 as he kicks off his campaign against Federico Coria of Argentina. The world No.53 reached the third round in the French Open and the US Open in 2023.

Teenage star Shang Juncheng will play Mackenzie McDonald of the US in the first round.

In the women's singles, world No.1 Iga Swiatek of Poland has set her sights on winning her first Australian Open crown and she faces stern challenges from defending champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan.

Eyes will also be on Osaka and Angelique Kerber of Germany, who are among a number of mothers returning to the event after giving birth. 

In the men's singles, world No.1 and 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic of Serbia is the firm favorite to triumph against young guns like the second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, the reigning Wimbledon champion.