By Shrivathsa Sridhar MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Last year's runner-up Zheng Qinwen was sent crashing out of the Australian Open second round on Wednesday as her bid to emulate Chinese compatriot Li Na's 2014 triumph evaporated after a shock 7-6(3) 6-3 defeat by unseeded German Laura Siegemund.

Fonseca was part of the 2024 lineup alongside Fils and Luca Van Assche of France; Michelsen, eventual finalist Learner Tien and Nishesh Basavareddy of the U.S.; Jakub Mensik of the Czech Republic and Shang Juncheng of China, who also goes by his Americanized name, Jerry Shang.

Prize money at the Australian Open continues to grow, and this year's tournament is no exception.For 2025, the overall prize pool has been set at $96.5 million – an 11.56 per cent increase on last year's sum.

The Australian Open is one of the world's four Grand Slam tennis tournaments. Held annually in Melbourne, Australia, this tournament is the first of the four Grand Slam events each year, preceding the French Open,