Hey there, fellow tennis enthusiasts It’s your girl Mia Johnson-Carter here, living the dream in Miami. I’m super excited to share some awesome news with you all about Zhang Shuai’s incredible comeback at the China Open. This story is a testament to perseverance and dedication, and it’s got everyone in the tennis world buzzing.
First off, let’s talk about Zhang Shuai. The 35-year-old Chinese tennis player recently ended a 24-match losing streak by beating McCartney Kessler 7-6 (5) 7-6 (1). This win wasn’t just any win; it was her first victory of the season and the first time she’d been on the winning side since January 2023. If she had lost to Kessler, she would have come just four losses away from tying Madeleine Pegel for the most consecutive losses in WTA Tour history—a record that has stood for over 50 years.
Zhang Shuai’s recent success has been a major topic of discussion in the tennis community. In an interview, she humorously remarked that she feels on the Beijing courts like Rafael Nadal does on the clay courts of Roland Garros. This comparison highlights how comfortable she feels on the hard courts of Beijing, which is a significant factor in her recent victories.
Zhang’s comeback is also noteworthy because it’s not her first memorable run at the China Open. Fifteen years ago, she earned her first WTA win there by beating Iveta Melzer. She then caused a major upset by stunning former world No. 1 Dinara Safina in her following match. Over the years, she has also had wins over other Grand Slam champions and former world No. 1s in Beijing, including Simona Halep in 2016 and Angelique Kerber two years later.
During her presser in Beijing, Zhang wasn’t the only one who got a mention from the veteran home player. When the China Open started and the Chinese ended her losing streak, Coco Gauff looked extremely happy. And it wasn’t because the American wanted to just look happy for a local player but because she had a good reason. Speaking to WTA Insider, Gauff revealed that Zhang approached her following her 2023 French Open quarterfinal defeat and said that she was ready to bet on her life that she would become a Grand Slam champion. At the time, Gauff was going through a rough period but those words stuck into her mind. A few months later, she became a Slam winner at the US Open.
Zhang called Gauff “a good girl” and spoke very highly about her, emphasizing the importance of being considerate and heartwarming both on and off the court. “Not only me is a good girl on the WTA Tour,” Zhang explained. “There are so many good girls. Minnen is a good girl. Coco is a good girl. They are good girls on the tour because we are very similar. We are considerate. We are heartwarming people. That’s who we are.”
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