By Shrivathsa Sridhar MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Last year's runner-up Zheng Qinwen was sent crashing out of the Australian Open second round on Wednesday as her bid to emulate Chinese compatriot Li Na's 2014 triumph evaporated after a shock 7-6(3) 6-3 defeat by unseeded German Laura Siegemund.

China's top tennis star Zheng Qinwen and women's two-time defending champion Arnya Sabalenka recorded battling first round wins, while men's second seed Alexander Zverev produced a commanding performance at the Australian Open on Sunday.

The 38-year-old Monfils used his experience and guile to top 21-year-old Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in five sets.

Laura Siegemund is overcome with emotion after earning an upset victory over No. 5 Zheng Qinwen to reach the third round at the Australian Open.

Distracted by a time penalty and unable to counteract No. 97-ranked Laura Siegemund's aggressive approach, Zheng Qinwen's loss in the second round Wednesday fell a long way short of last year's run to the Australian Open final.

Zheng Qinwen is out of the Australian Open after a shock defeat to Germany’s Laura Siegemund. Zheng, the No. 5 seed and last year’s beaten finalist, lost 7-6(3), 6-3 after her serve unraveled in the fourth game of the second set.