Bai Zhuoxuan: Perhaps my first Australian Open win should have come earlier; there’s nothing to lose when playing the world No.1.

On January 18, Chinese player Bai Zhuoxuan achieved a thrilling three-set win against last year’s quarterfinalist Pavlyuchenkova in the opening round of the 2026 Australian Open women’s singles, earning a meaningful victory. This triumph represents her first main draw win at the Australian Open and her second Grand Slam main draw success.

Regarding her tactical approach during the match, Bai Zhuoxuan analyzed carefully: “Everyone knows she (Pavlyuchenkova) plays fast, with heavy shots in the early rallies, but her most noticeable weakness is slow movement. So in longer rallies, I had more opportunities than her. Making her move around made her shots less accurate, and that tactic worked well. On returns, I stood a bit further back to give myself more time to handle her heavy shots. If I stood too close, her speed would make it hard for me to react on the second shot.”

Reflecting on the thrilling final tiebreak, Bai Zhuoxuan described how she first wasted a match point, then saved another, finally sealing the win on the second match point. She said: “I don’t know why, but I just felt I could win. I was a bit nervous on the match point and wasn’t clear enough about the tactics to execute. At her match point, my mindset was to fight for that point. If she really hit a winner, I would have no complaints, but if I could reach it or threaten her within my ability, I wanted to make her work.”

This victory marks Bai Zhuoxuan’s first Grand Slam main draw win since Wimbledon 2023. Due to injuries, she missed most of the 2025 season and only returned to competition late last year. The win was deeply meaningful to her: “My coach and those around me believe I can climb back up the rankings, and I also have confidence in my tennis. After dealing with injury and surgery, winning again at a Grand Slam feels different — like I should have won earlier, maybe at the 2024 Australian Open main draw, but it’s not too late now.”

When asked about Jay Chou’s congratulatory message on social media, Bai Zhuoxuan expressed great excitement: “I didn’t expect he was watching. I remembered today was his birthday and kept thinking about it. I definitely wanted to win to give him a birthday gift.”

Bai Zhuoxuan will face world No.1 Sabalenka in the second round. Looking forward to competing against a top player, she said: “Actually, I’m quite excited to play against such a strong opponent. It’s a great experience. First, it’s on the center court; second, it’s against the world No.1 — not everyone gets this chance to face the very best. I think it’s good to play early so I can feel the style of the world No.1 and understand why she’s so strong. Of course, I don’t think I have no chance. Tennis is unpredictable. As long as you go out and fight, even if you lose, showing your style and game is a great opportunity. She should be the one feeling pressure; I have nothing to lose.”

(Edited by: Wang Fei, Photos by: Huang Shangyue)