Sawt Falasteen - 'Nervous' Zheng relieved to survive Australian Open scare

The fifth seed needed to save three set points before battling past gutsy debutant Anca Todoni 7-6 (7/3), 6-1.

The Chinese player said she had the jitters as she opened proceedings on Rod Laver Arena a year after losing the 2024 final to Aryna Sabalenka on the famous showcourt.

"Actually, I felt really nervous," the 22-year-old told reporters at Melbourne Park.

"I start to feel nervous already since yesterday because I felt special emotion for the Australian Open.

"I feel it's one of the biggest tournament. I really like it here."

As thunder reverberated around Rod Laver Arena, causing play to be suspended on outside courts, Zheng dug deep under the roof to overcome the world number 110 in almost two hours of play.

It had looked like a straightforward assignment when the heavy-hitting Chinese broke the 20-year-old Romanian to lead 5-3.

But Todoni, who has never beaten a top-10 player and was making her first appearance in the Australian Open main draw, refused to lie down and broke back to level at 5-5.

At 5-6, Zheng saved three Todoni set points to force a tiebreak which she wrapped up to seal a marathon first set after 75 minutes.

"The first set is always not easy, especially because I was doing stupid mistakes," Zheng admitted.

Zheng, who did not play a warm-up event before the first Grand Slam of the season, stepped up a gear in the second set, racing to a 3-0 lead before wrapping up the match with an ace in 1hr 56min.

"I am just happy to win the match," said Zheng, who enjoyed vociferous support from a large Chinese contingent in the crowd.

"I was happy to win the tiebreak and start to find my rhythm.

"Feels like home, you know, because lot of crowd supporting me. I feel like I can get a lot of energy from them, especially when she get the set points."

The 22-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough 2024, beating then number one Iga Swiatek on her way to winning Olympic gold in Paris and claiming three WTA titles.

"Queen Wen" ended the year at a career-high world number five after claiming the Pan Pacific Open title in Tokyo.

She reached the championship match at the WTA Tour Finals in Riyadh, where she was edged only in a final-set tiebreak by Coco Gauff.

Zheng will play either Laura Siegemund of Germany or American Hailey Baptiste in round two on Wednesday.

W.AbuLaban--SF-PST