WATCH: Chinese WTA legend Li Na surprises Qinwen Zheng with a fangirl moment after the 21-year-old rising WTA icon progresses into the fourth round at the Australian Open

Zheng has the chance to emulate the 41-year-old by becoming the second player from China to win the trophy in Melbourne.

WATCH: Chinese WTA legend Li Na surprises Qinwen Zheng with a fangirl moment after the 21-year-old rising WTA icon progresses into the fourth round at the Australian Open

Li Na surprised Qinwen Zheng (via X)

Qinwen Zheng, the 21-year-old Chinese tennis player, reached the fourth round of the ongoing Australian Open. She defeated compatriot Wang Yafan in three sets (6-4, 2-6, 7-6(10-8) on Saturday (January 20) at the Rod Laver Arena.

During her post-win interview, Zheng had no idea that Li Na would be meeting her there. Li appeared from behind to surprise the rising star. Zheng was certainly shocked by the appearance of the Chinese great and her childhood idol and both of them later embraced each other.

YouTube video

Watch the video here:

FS Video

Notably, Na was the first player from China as well as Aisa to win a Grand Slam title. She bagged the title in Australia back in 2014.

Na also appeared in the final of the Australian Open in 2011 and 2013. Qinwen has the chance to emulate the 41-year-old by becoming the second player from China to win the trophy in Melbourne. Li has won two Grand Slam titles in her career (the 2011 French Open and the 2014 Australian Open). She reached her career-best WTA ranking (World No.2) in February 2014.

Qinwen Zheng reveals the valuable advice Li Na gave her

Qinwen Zheng, though she once met Li Na as a junior, has never met the Chinese icon face to face, so the meeting after her third-round win over Wang Yafan was her first. While speaking to the media, Zheng revealed the valuable advice Li had given her.

Qinwen Zheng
Qinwen Zheng (L), Li Na (R) (Image via X) 
Li Na said to me: 'Don't think too much, just keep simple.' I think that's what I need to do right now as well, yeah.
Qinwen Zheng on Li Na

She added:

Very first time. We don’t have each other’s WeChat, no phone calls. We met once before when I was a junior, but not single-to-single, face-to-face.

Qinwen Zheng added

Qinwen expressed her gratitude to the organizers of the Australian Open for the special meeting with Li. She even joked that Li is more beautiful in real life than on television.

Qinwen’s fourth-round match is against Oceane Dodin, the 27-year-old player from France. They will face each other on Monday (January 22).

The Chinese star started her Australian Open campaign by beating Ashlyn Krueger (3-6, 6-2, 6-3). Katie Boulter then got beaten by Qinwen in the second round (6-3, 6-3). Qinwen then became the reason behind her countrywoman Wang Yafan’s ouster from the tournament.

In case you missed it: