Wednesday night in Beijing was pure tennis magic! Chinese veteran Zhang Shuai lit up the Diamond Court with a jaw-dropping comeback, rallying from a 3-6 first-set loss to rout Russian qualifier Anastasia Zakharova 6-1, 6-4 in the China Open first round 🔥🎾
Zakharova, who’s been on a tear this season with Wimbledon and US Open second rounds and a maiden Tour-level semifinal in Cleveland, looked unstoppable early. But Zhang, playing her 15th China Open and already a three-time quarterfinalist here, flipped the script in set two, dominating 6-1 with surgical precision 💪.
The decider was a nail-biter, but the 36-year-old home favorite held firm, sealing the match 6-4 and giving Chinese fans plenty to cheer about. With compatriots Zhang Ruien and Shi Han bowing out earlier, Zhang Shuai stood alone as the host nation’s hero on day one 🙌.
“After playing for over thirty years, I have strong confidence in my technical skills,” Zhang reflected post-match. “A single set doesn’t mean much. Even in defeat, I learn from my opponent’s strengths. That mindset keeps me young mentally.”
She also reminisced about her China Open beginnings: “I still feel like the 20-year-old who made her main draw debut in 2009. Age is just a number—on court, I’ll always be that young player.”
Up next is an all-Chinese clash against 31st seed Wang Xinyu. Can Zhang keep the fairy tale alive? Stay tuned!
Reference(s):
Zhang Shuai stuns Diamond Court crowd with comeback win at China Open
cgtn.com
