When they met earlier in the Australian Open, Li Na – the only Chinese player to have won a singles major – offered some words of advice to 12th seed Zheng Qinwen.

Li, who claimed the French and Australian Open titles in 2011 and 2014 respectively, explained to her countrywoman Zheng how she achieved the success she enjoyed during her career.

"It's really simple advice: don't think too much," Zheng said earlier this week at Melbourne Park.

Fast-forward to Thursday night's quarterfinal against unseeded Russian Anna Kalinskaya and it was that "simple advice" that saw Zheng pull herself out of a hole.

She struggled with her first serve and was broken twice in the opening set, which she lost in a tiebreak, but knew if she stuck to the basics she could play herself back into the match.

Zheng won the second set and dominated the third to triumph 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-1 and reach her first semifinal at a major.

"I think at the beginning of the first set I'm just thinking too much," Zheng told reporters after defeating Kalinskaya.

"That's why I lost the first set, because I got those early breaks. Then later on I'm not able to keep my serve.

"Of course, that's one of my problems. So when I lost the first set I tried to tell myself, 'Stay focused. Don't think too much. Just focus right now'.

"So I'm really happy that I was able to change that and win the match at the end."

Zheng is only the third Chinese player to make the semifinals of a major and the fact she has reached the last four would surprise few who have charted her rise in the past 12 months.

She was a US Open quarterfinalist in 2023 and won two titles – in Palermo and Zhengzhou — during the season, helping her collect the WTA's most improved player of the year award.

In 2022, the WTA named Zheng its newcomer of the year.

The 21-year-old is ranked 15 but will move up to the top 10 when the new standings are released after the Australian Open.

While elated to be a semifinalist in Melbourne, Zheng will not be satisfied with anything but a win when she faces Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska on Thursday night.

"I'm proud of myself, but this is just the beginning," she said.

Zheng has yet to face a seed on her way to the semifinals but has a genuine weapon with her serve that will trouble higher-ranked opponents.