China's Zhang Shuai and France's Kristina Mladenovic saw their Australian Open women's doubles journey end in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, falling 6-1, 7-5 to top seeds Taylor Townsend (USA) and Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic) in a nail-biting 70-minute showdown.
Match Highlights 🏟️
The Sino-French duo fought valiantly after a rough first set, saving two match points in the second. Their comeback from 5-2 down electrified Melbourne Park before the Wimbledon champions sealed the deal. 'We made mistakes, but kept fighting,' admitted Siniakova post-match.
Triple Duty for Zhang 💪
Zhang showcased her endurance, competing in singles (reaching Round 2), women's doubles (quarterfinals), and mixed doubles (also quarters with India's Rohan Bopanna). Her cross-court forehand winner at 5-3 in the second set nearly turned the tide!
Stats & Semifinal Showdown 🔥
Top seeds dominated with 25 winners vs. 13, while both pairs committed 14 errors. Townsend/Siniakova now face Russian teens Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider for a finals berth.
