China’s No 1 Wang Qiang crashes out of Australian Open warm-up Gippsland Trophy

World No 34 loses to Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in three sets at Melbourne Park to make it nearly a year since last win

Worst preparation for next week’s slam after pulling out of US Open last year over Covid-19 concerns

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China's Wang Qiang reacts during her loss to Italy's Jasmine Paolini at a tune-up tournament ahead of the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia. Photo: AP

Published: 1:33pm, 1 Feb 2021Updated: 1:33pm, 1 Feb 2021

Chinese tennis star Wang Qiang made the worst possible start to her Australian Open preparations when she lost to Italy’s Jasmine Paolini at the Gippsland Trophy tournament at Melbourne Park on Monday.

Wang, the world No 34 and 10th seed at the grand slam warm-up event, had won the opening set in 47 minutes but the unseeded 25-year-old Italian came back to win the next set 7-5 despite being 5-2 down.

The 29-year-old looked tired as she misplaced several shots in a decisive third set, including hitting a forehand into the net to give up a break point at 3-3.

China’s No 1 rallied by holding her serve to love to make it 5-4 but Paolini then served for the match, and despite forcing an error and winning the next point, the Italian saw it out.

Italy's Jasmine Paolini reacts during her match against Wang at a tune-up tournament ahead of the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia. Photo: AP

Wang hit a long forehand to seal the match for Paolini after two hours and 21 minutes.