A decade after breaking new ground as Asia's first grand slam singles winner, Li has returned to Melbourne Park, somewhat with a bang, to inspire Zheng's own charge through the Open draw.
Li crashed Zheng's post-match press conference after the 21-year-old made the fourth round and the 12th seed says the advice offered is working wonders.
"Li Na told me 'just play, don't think too much'. Yeah," keep it simple," Zheng said after storming into the Open quarter-finals for the first time with a 6-0 6-3 slaying of Frenchwoman Oceane Dodin.
"The simple things really helps on the tennis court. That's what I'm trying to do.
"I remember the first time arrive on the tour and I play everybody who has a better ranking than me, especially when I face the slam champions, you are going to enter the court and feeling those pressures. Sometimes I get over excited.
"But right now, I've got these two years' experience and I start to face the people who are lower than me, I come on the court, I feel I have those confidence.
"I just feel more peace than before. Before there were lot of up and downs. Now it's just more stable."
Li believes the Zheng can go all the way and will likely never get a better chance to reach a grand slam final.
Chinese tennis star Zheng Qinwen takes a selfie with fans after her round four win in Melbourne. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)
The world No.15 and highest-ranked player remaining in the blown open top half of the draw faces unseeded Russian Anna Kalinskaya on Wednesday for a place in the final four.
Kalinskaya, ranked 60 spots below Zheng, had never previously won a match at Melbourne Park, losing in the first round on all previous four visits.
Zheng knows she's the favourite to advance to a semi-final against either unseeded Czech teenager Linda Noskova or Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska.
But she's also wary and respectful.
"The people who arrive to the quarter-finals, for sure they're all feeling really well in this tournament," Zheng said.
"They're all going to give their best. I just can play my tennis and let's see what can happen."
While Zheng also reached last year's US Open quarters, Kalinskaya had only twice progressed beyond round two at a major before this week.
"Of course it's exciting to be in the quarter-finals," 25-the-year said.
"But I'm just trying to enjoy every match and play point by point."
4-ANNA KALINSKAYA (RUS) leads 12-ZHENG QINWEN (CHN) 1-0
2022 Guadalajara, hard, R32, Kalinskya 6-3 2-6 6-2
ZHENG QINWEN
Age: 21
Ranking: 15
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US2,935,768
Career titles: 2
Grand slam titles: 0
Australian Open win-loss record: 6-2
Best Australian Open results: quarter-finalist 2024
ANNA KALINSKAYA
Age: 25
Ranking: 75
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US2,375,349
Career titles: 0
Grand slam titles: 0
Australian Open win-loss record: 4-4
Best Australian Open results: quarter-finalist 2024
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