Homegrown tennis hero Zhang Shuai just delivered a Masterclass in resilience at the China Open! 🚀 The 35-year-old shocked No. 6 seed Emma Navarro (U.S.) 6-4, 6-2 on Friday, scripting one of the tournament's biggest upsets. Ranked 595th globally, Zhang became the lowest-ranked player ever to defeat a top-10 opponent at this event. Talk about rewriting the playbook! 💥
From Losing Streak to Winning Feat
Zhang smashed her 24-match singles losing streak earlier this week – and she’s not stopping there. Against Navarro (currently world No. 8), she dominated with a 72% first-serve win rate and killer returns. 🎯 This marks her ninth career victory over top-10 players – proof that rankings don’t define greatness.
Fan Love & Fighting Spirit
‘Thank you for giving me the courage to create miracles,’ Zhang told roaring crowds post-match. 💬 Addressing critics who doubted her age-related stamina, she fired back: ‘Every drop of sweat matters. Dreams don’t expire!’ 🔥 Next up: Belgium’s Greet Minnen. Can she keep the magic alive?
Meanwhile, fellow Chinese player Wang Xinyu fell to Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova in a nail-biting three-setter. U.S. Open champ Coco Gauff also advanced smoothly.
