"All that yapping about cold handshake just to lose in straight sets" - Fans stunned by Zheng Qinwen's shocking Australian Open early defeat

Zheng Qinwen's second-round exit at the 2025 Australian Open, just a year after her runner-up finish, sparked a flurry of reactions from tennis fans. The 21-year-old Chinese sensation fell in straight sets to veteran Laura Siegemund at the John Cain Arena, raising questions about her form and consistency.

On Wednesday, January 15, the second round of the Australian Open began with a shocking upset early in the day. Siegemund, 36, pushed 2024 runner-up Zheng to a first-set tiebreak, defeating the Chinese star in straight sets.

Zheng, visibly unsettled by a time violation in the second set that led to a crucial service break, struggled to recover, resulting in her early exit. Following a stellar 2024 season where she achieved her first year-end top-five ranking, won Olympic gold, reached the WTA Finals final, and played in a Slam final, her loss has prompted questions among fans about the sustainability of her "hype."

"This is NOT an upset!! Zheng is a totally OVERRATED player that won Olympic gold medal due to a series of coincidences… Iga played one of her worst matches of her career!! for starters!! Zheng is SUPER inconsistent! well deserved defeat," one fan wrote.

"Haha here's the overrated and overhyped player who got into endorsements and can't get past Round 2 😏," another fan wrote.

Another fan referred to her new endorsement and wrote:

"Dior can’t catch a break"

One fan pointed out her recent comments about "cold handshakes" after a loss and wrote:

"All that yapping about giving cold handshake just for her to lose in straight sets Queenwen girl just give us a smile next time"

One fan expressed blunt disappointment, writing:

"This is so embarrassing actually"

Another fan drew a striking parallel between Elena Rybakina's and Zheng Qinwen's Australian Open journeys. They wrote:

"Elena Rybakina:- Lost to Aryna Sabalenka in AO Final 2023. Lost in second round in AO 2024... Qinwen Zheng:- Lost to Aryna Sabalenka in AO Final 2024. Lost in second round in AO 2025."

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"Zheng Qinwen's an amazing player" - Laura Siegemund praises Australian Open 2R opponent after triumph

Zheng Qinwen at the 2025 Australian Open - Source: Getty

During her post-match interview, World No. 97, Laura Siegemund praised her opponent Zheng Qinwen.

"I knew I just had to play more than my best tennis," Siegemund said (via Tennis.com. "I had nothing to lose, so I just told myself to swing free and she’s an amazing player. She’s just one of the best players right now, but I know I can play well and I wanted to show that to myself, to make it a tough fight."

The German has advanced to the third round of the Australian Open for the third time in her career. She will face the winner between Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Anastasia Potapova.