The world number 45 sent shockwaves in Rod Laver Arena by defeating the number 30 seed Pliskova in just 87 minutes to keep the Polish representation in the tournament going after current world number 1 Iga Swiatek crashed out in the round of 16
Zhu was praised by her Belarus opponent after the match. The number 87 Zhu was making her first-ever appearance in the second week of a major tournament