MELBOURNE — Zheng Qinwen was the first big name to exit the women’s draw at the Australian Open on Wednesday after the Olympic champion was stunned by Laura Siegemund while top seed Aryna Sabalenka made heavy weather of her second round match before going through.

Jessica Pegula, who lost to Sabalenka in last year’s US Open final, safely advanced while Tokyo Olympics champion Belinda Bencic moved on after a brief spell of rain delayed proceedings on the outer courts on the fourth day.

China’s Zheng had been bidding to emulate compatriot Li Na’s 2014 triumph at Melbourne Park but her hopes evaporated at John Cain Arena, where unseeded German Siegemund pulled off a stunning 7-6(3), 6-3 victory.

The fifth seed left the court looking like she was about to burst into tears while world number 97 Siegemund was beaming from ear to ear after a famous win.

Zheng said it was just not her day.

Sabalenka is bidding to become the first woman to win three straight titles at Melbourne Park since Martina Hingis from 1997-99 and while the Belarusian beat Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-3, 7-5 she did not have it all her own way.

After easing through the first two games of the match on Rod Laver Arena, Sabalenka twice swapped breaks with the world number 54 before taking control for a 5-2 lead and closing out the opening set on serve.

The three-time Grand Slam champion’s serve came under intense pressure in the next set and she found herself trailing 4-1 as an inspired Bouzas Maneiro began hitting stinging winners on both sides of the court.

Sabalenka found a spark from somewhere and fought back from 5-2 to level at 5-5 and fired a backhand winner to break again in the next game before wrapping up the contest to extend her win streak at the hardcourt major to 16.

American seventh seed Pegula beat Belgian Elise Mertens 6-4, 6-2 on Margaret Court Arena while Bencic beat Suzan Lamens 6-1, 7-6(3) after Olga Danilovic stunned 25th seed Liudmila Samsonova 6-1, 6-2. — Reuters

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