Zhang Shuai’s remarkable resurgence continues to astound as she has now won four consecutive matches in straight sets to reach the quarterfinals of the China Open, a WTA 1000 event. This impressive run comes after a challenging period where she endured a 24-match losing streak over the past year and a half, dropping her ranking to No. 595.
In her latest triumph, Zhang defeated No. 23 seed Magdalena Frech 6-4, 6-2 in the fourth round. Frech had been in impressive form, winning her previous seven matches, including her maiden WTA title in Guadalajara and reaching the fourth round in Beijing.
Zhang’s victory marks her first WTA quarterfinal appearance in over two years, since Tokyo in September 2022. Her last WTA 1000 quarterfinal appearance was even longer ago, at Cincinnati in August 2022. This is her fifth career WTA 1000 quarterfinal.
Zhang’s previous WTA 1000 quarterfinal appearances include:
* 2014 Rome (lost to Serena Williams)
* 2016 Beijing (lost to Johanna Konta)
* 2018 Beijing (lost to Naomi Osaka)
* 2022 Cincinnati (lost to Aryna Sabalenka)
Zhang’s resurgence is a testament to her resilience and determination. She has overcome adversity to rediscover her winning ways and is now poised to make a deep run in her home tournament.
