A local hero is causing a stir in Beijing. After ending her historic losing streak, Chinese Zhang Shuai follows up with a sensational victory against a top player.
From one extreme to the other? The Chinese Zhang Shuai continues to cause a stir at the WTA tournament in Beijing. After the 35-year-old won for the first time in her career after her record series of 24(!) defeats in a row, she has now followed up.
The world no. 595 caused an upset by beating US Open semi-finalist Emma Navarro in straight sets. Zhang defeated the 12-year-younger American 6-4, 6-2, raising her arms in celebration.
Zhang, who reached the quarterfinals at the 2016 Australian Open and three years later at Wimbledon, had been slowed down by injuries for a long time.
At the beginning of 2023, she reached her best ranking of 22nd thanks to… but even that was enough to reach the quarterfinals at the Australian Open in 2016 and Wimbledon three years later. However, after a second-round defeat in February at the WTA tournament in Lyon, Zhang lost match after match.