Chinese tennis veteran Zhang Shuai continues her impressive journey at the China Open in Beijing, defeating No. 6 seed Emma Navarro of the U.S. with a score of 6-4, 6-2 in the women’s singles second-round match on Friday. This victory marks the continuation of Zhang’s remarkable comeback in the tournament.
At 35 years old and currently ranked No. 595 on the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) table, Zhang ended her 24-match singles losing streak by overcoming McCartney Kessler of the U.S. in the first round with a 6-3, 6-2 win. Demonstrating remarkable aggression, Zhang led in nearly all statistics against this year’s U.S. Open semifinalist Navarro, including first serve percentage, first serve points won, and break points converted.
Defeating a world top-10 player (No. 8) from the lowest ranking in China Open history, Zhang achieved her ninth career win over a top-10 opponent. She expressed her gratitude to her supporters, saying, “I want to thank every supporter who came here today for the courage you gave me. I was able to stand on this court, where I have created so many miracles, because of you. Today I beat another strong opponent. Thank you for sharing this amazing moment with me.”
Zhang added, “I know that many didn't think I can perform like this again because I have aged and lost my strength. I just wanted to show everyone that my efforts every day are not wasted. I believe in chasing your dream. You got to work on it and go after it. It has nothing to do with your age.”
Zhang's next opponent will be Greet Minnen of Belgium. In other matches, fellow Chinese player Wang Xinyu lost to No. 32 seed Veronika Kudermetova of Russia with a score of 6-3, 4-6, 5-7 on Friday. Additionally, fourth-seeded Coco Gauff of the U.S. triumphed over Clara Burel of France 7-5, 6-3 in her first match since the U.S. Open.
