Saisai Zheng (Photo : Getty Images)
Chinese wildcard qualifier Saisai Zheng British tennis player Johanna Konta in the second round of the 2016 Australian Open at Melbourne Park.
Zheng powered into the second round of the first Grand Slam event of the year after cruising past Carina Witthoeft of Germany 6-1 6-2. Zheng, China's highest rank player at 83rd, was the third Chinese player in the women's draw to earn a slot in the second round after Wang Qiang stunned Sloane Stephens and Han Xinyun's victory over Mariana Duque of Colombia.
Zheng's win over Witthoeft was her first opening round win in a major tournament since the US Open in 2014. The 21-year-old Chinese raced ahead in the second set to finish off the German in a match that lasted one hour and 13 minutes.
The win could give Zheng the momentum for the second round against Konta, but the Chinese teen admitted it will be difficult for her to overcome the Brit, who stunned Venus Williams in straight sets 6-4 6-2.
"I don't know (if I can go deep into the tournament). Konta is playing really good, if she can beat Venus that means something," Zheng said, reports Xinhuanet. "It's has to be a really tough match."
Konta, who was born in Sydney and played for Australia until 2012, enjoyed the best win of her career after shocking Williams in the first round of the tournament.
"This was definitely the biggest stage I've won on as it was on Rod Laver," Konta said, reports the Independent. "I'm very proud of the way I was able to stay very present and just keep going, whatever the scoreline."
Meanwhile, Williams was fined $5,000 by the Australian Open for not showing up in her mandatory post-match press obligations following her eighth first round exit in 62 Grand Slam appearances, reports USA Today.
It was the 35-year-old's second fine in a year after skipping press at the French Open in May, when Venus was fined $3,000.
