Australian Open: Second seed Simona Halep dumped out by qualifier Zhang Shuai

Australian Open qualifier Shuai Zhang is overcome in her post-match interview after securing her first win at a Grand Slam, a massive upset first round upset over No 2 seed Simona Halep.

Romania’s Simona Halep reacts after losing a point during her first round match against China’s Zhang Shuai at the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park, Australia, today.

Zhang is ranked 133rd in the world and had lost all 14 of her previous grand slam matches.

“I think in my life, it’s the best tennis”, she said.

Collecting her emotions, Zhang said: “It is so exciting today”.

Zhang’s tearful reaction generated a response on Twitter where British number two Heather Watson wrote: “Shuai Zhang is making me all teary eyed being all emotional after her win over Halep”.

“I think it wasn’t my good day but I give her a lot of credit as she played without fear and hit every ball”, Halep said. They never see. So I wanted them feeling what I’m doing. She always helps the young players.

“But if you play pain free, you can come back fast (and) I think the tournament is open”.

Zhang, with nothing to lose, gave her all on the biggest stage of all outplaying the Romanian and knocked her out of the Australian Open with an impressive 6-4, 6-3 score line.

– Konta-mania strikes again: Johanna Konta came into the Australian Open winless but she found her 2015 form quickly, playing a strong match to oust No. 8 seed Venus Williams, 6-4, 6-2.

Others to make first round exits included former world No.1s Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki, 2011 US Open champion Samantha Stosur, and 2012 French Open runner-up Sara Errani.

Rising Spanish star Garbine Muguruza beat Estonian debutante Anett Kontaveit 6-0 6-4 in one hour exactly – and immediately set her sights on dethroning Serena Williams in the final. “And I felt I really want to have this kind of life, to feel relaxed and really enjoy life”, Zhang said. My dad came in and said, Hey, you got to go. “I know that. I have just to take it like it is and look ahead”. She also caught a break when Kirsten Flipkens pulled off the win over the very risky Mirjana Lucic Baroni.

Milos Raonic followed up his victory at the Brisbane International with a clinical, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 first-round win over Lucas Pouille on the second day of the season’s first major.

The 25-year-old Canadian, who recently started working with former No. 1-ranked Carlos Moya as a coach, didn’t face a breakpoint on his serve and had little difficulty in winning 89 percent of points on successful first serves. Pouille, a 21-year-old Frenchman, entered the match with a 1-7 record in Grand Slam matches and with a No. 90 ranking.

It means that across the five grand slams since the start of past year, a total of 46 female seeds have failed to progress from their first-round matches.

“The tournament is open”.