On October 3rd, veteran player Zhang Shuai exited the China Open after making it to the quarterfinals in women’s singles, a commendable achievement given the difficult path she traveled to get there. Before the tournament, Zhang faced a staggering 24-match losing streak that extended across several seasons, leading to early exits from various competitions since February 2023.
This prolonged slump weighed heavily on Zhang, forcing her to reflect on her career during the U.S. Open. Conversations with her team even touched on the possibility of retirement. Yet, she discovered a renewed sense of strength in the doubles arena, teaming up with French player Kristina Mladenovic to reach the finals. This success reignited Zhang’s determination to continue competing at a high level.
Although she fell to Spain’s Paula Badosa in straight sets during the quarterfinals, Zhang’s recent performance in doubles was unexpected, especially as she approaches 36. The landscape of tennis has shifted significantly over the years; many of Zhang’s peers have stepped away from the sport, and she feels the pressure of competing against much younger opponents. “The speed of play from the younger generation is much faster than players from my era,” she observed.
In her pursuit of an edge, Zhang has been innovating her techniques, particularly honing in on her serving accuracy. While her dreams of winning a Grand Slam title in singles may seem to be slipping away, she has redirected her focus towards doubles as a means to keep that aspiration alive. Acknowledging her role as a transitional figure in Chinese tennis—realizing she may not scale the heights of trailblazers like Li Na or rising stars such as Zheng Qinwen—Zhang remains steadfast in her ambitions.
Reflecting on her journey, Zhang reminisced about her first tour victory at the China Open in 2009 when she was ranked 226th and made headlines by defeating then-world number one Dinara Safina. Returning to Beijing this year ranked 595th, she experienced a resurgence. In her opening match, she triumphed over American player Kayla Day in a thrilling two-set tiebreak, finally breaking her long losing streak. “The reason I hadn’t won was probably because I needed to wait for this tournament, this court,” she shared with excitement.
Zhang maintained her momentum by defeating Navarro, a U.S. Open semifinalist, in just 74 minutes, establishing herself as the lowest-ranked player in China Open history to beat a top ten competitor. A subsequent win against Belgian player Minnen propelled her into the round of 16 for the first time in six years.
On National Day, after a victory against Polish player Luksika Kumkhum, hopes were high that Zhang might surpass her previous best at the China Open. However, the relentless competition took a toll on her stamina, resulting in her quarterfinal loss against Badosa.
In a show of sportsmanship, Badosa expressed her respect for Zhang post-match, saying, “Don’t retire just yet; you’re still amazing.” This sentiment highlights Zhang’s unwavering resolve to chase her dreams, earning admiration from her rivals along the way.
Looking ahead, Zhang has set clear goals. Beyond her aspirations for a Grand Slam title in doubles or mixed doubles, she aims to break into the world’s top 200 in singles to secure her spot in future Grand Slam qualifiers. This veteran is determined not to be seen merely as a doubles player and is ready to embark on a new chapter in her career.
