Sun Jan 12 17:09:09 UTC 2025: ## Storms Halt Play, But Zheng and Ruud Advance at Australian Open
**Melbourne, Australia** – The Australian Open kicked off Sunday with a mix of triumphs and weather-related disruptions. Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen and sixth seed Casper Ruud secured their places in the second round, but a sudden storm forced a halt to play on outside courts.
Zheng, the fifth seed and last year’s finalist, began the tournament on Centre Court, defeating Anca Todoni 7-6(7/3), 6-1. Despite a shaky start, Zheng found her rhythm in the tiebreak and dominated the second set. She admitted to some rustiness after skipping a warm-up event.
Ruud, however, had a tougher time, needing five sets to overcome Jaume Munar 6-3, 1-6, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1. He acknowledged the need to improve his Grand Slam performance after a less-than-stellar 2024 season.
Other notable first-round victories included Kei Nishikori’s five-set thriller against Thiago Monteiro and Mirra Andreeva’s straight-sets win over Marie Bouzkova. Andreeva, at 17, impressed, reaching the second round for the second consecutive year. Donna Vekic also advanced.
However, play was significantly disrupted less than an hour after its start when severe thunderstorms hit Melbourne Park. Thunder and lightning forced players and spectators to seek shelter, leaving only the three roofed stadiums operational. Organizers now face a match backlog.
The evening session featured top seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Alexander Zverev. Sabalenka, aiming for an unprecedented third consecutive Australian Open title, begins her quest against Sloane Stephens, while Zverev faces Lucas Pouille. Sabalenka, buoyed by her recent Brisbane International win, is aware of the pressure but embraces the challenge.
First Piper 