Medvedev, Zheng, Ruud and more: Plenty of seeded exits before third round - Women proving stronger at Australian Open
Tennis News
The Australian Open has entered its third round with only 32 players remaining in both the men’s and women’s draws. Initially, 32 seeded players were expected to have a clear path until at least the third round, avoiding clashes with higher-ranked opponents. However, several surprises have led to early eliminations of big names.
So far, the women’s draw has seen more consistency, with 9 seeded players eliminated compared to 14 in the men’s draw. World No. 5 Zheng Qinwen and Daniil Medvedev are the highest-ranked early exits from their respective sides. The Chinese player was stunned by Laura Siegemund, while the Russian fell to teenager Learner Tien.
Women's Draw
The exit of Zheng Qinwen was undoubtedly the biggest upset in the women’s early rounds, as she lost to World No. 97 Laura Siegemund, a match that seemed to favor the 2024 Australian Open finalist. However, the German delivered a surprise, knocking out one of the title contenders and clearing a path in the draw towards Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals.
Other notable exits include former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko (16th seed) and 2-time AO champion Victoria Azarenka (21st seed). Some of the eliminated players faced difficult matchups against lower-ranked but capable opponents. For example, Karolina Muchova was ousted by four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, while Ekaterina Alexandrova was eliminated in the opener by 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu.
In total, 9 seeded players have been eliminated in the women’s draw, with only 3 of them being in the top-20, showing a higher consistency among the top-ranked players compared to the men’s side, where 6 top-20 players have been eliminated (4 of them in the top-11).
Laura Siegemund, what have you done 😍👏
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 15, 2025
The world no. 97 has caused an upset at the John Cain Arena defeating last year's finalist and fifth seed Qinwen in straight sets 7-6 (3) 6-3 🤯@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/Txmr4dylyj
Seeded players eliminated in the women’s draw
• Qinwen Zheng (5)
• Jelena Ostapenko (16)
• Karolina Muchova (20)
• Victoria Azarenka (21)
• Katie Boulter (22)
• Liudmila Samsonova (25)
• Ekaterina Alexandrova (26)
• Linda Noskova (29)
• Maria Sakkari (31)
Men’s Draw
This year has been full of surprises on the men’s side, especially with the emergence of new talents making a name for themselves on tour. Daniil Medvedev, a 3-time finalist and world No. 5, was defeated by Learner Tien (19), while world No. 9 Andrey Rublev was knocked out by rising star Joao Fonseca (18) in one of the biggest shocks so far.
Similarly, Casper Ruud (6th seed) was eliminated by 19-year-old Jabu Mensik in the second round, and Stefanos Tsitsipas (11th seed) fell to 21-year-old Alex Michelsen. Other notable early exits include Frances Tiafoe, Hubert Hurkacz, Alexei Popyrin, Félix Auger-Aliassime, and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
Grigor Dimitrov also exited in the first round after retiring during the second set of his match against Francesco Passaro.
In total, 15 seeded players have been eliminated from the men’s draw, with 5 of them belonging to the top-11. In comparison, 10 players from the top-25 have been eliminated on the men’s side, compared to just 6 in the women’s.
Tennis: Expert level 🥵
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2025
Learner Tien wins a gruelling 32-shot rally against Medvedev! ✨@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/fclSbUjFxB
Seeded players eliminated in the men’s draw
• Daniil Medvedev (5)
• Casper Ruud (6)
• Andrey Rublev (9)
• Grigor Dimitrov (10)
• Stefanos Tsitsipas (11)
• Frances Tiafoe (17)
• Hubert Hurkacz (18)
• Sebastian Korda (22)
• Alejandro Tabilo (23)
• Alexei Popyrin (25)
• Jordan Thompson (27)
• Sebastián Báez (28)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (29)
• Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (30)
• Flavio Cobolli (32)
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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