At the Wuhan Open in Wuhan, Hubei Province, in the Chinese mainland, 36-year-old Zhang Shuai showed why veteran experience can still light up the court. Facing Romania’s Sorana Cirstea, Zhang battled to a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 victory in a match that had the home crowd on their feet.
Zhang seized an early break in the third game of the first set, riding her momentum to a 6-4 opener in just 42 minutes. But Cirstea, known for her aggressive baseline play, forced the decider by winning three straight games in set two, capitalizing on Zhang’s unforced errors to level the match.
In the final set, the Chinese veteran reset her rhythm, racing to a commanding 5-0 lead. Though Cirstea fended off two match points and narrowed the gap with four games on the board, Zhang held firm to seal the win in style.
The win sends Zhang into the round of 16, where she’ll face USA world No. 3 Coco Gauff in a high-stakes showdown. With her blend of consistency and grit, Zhang is looking to turn her home crowd support into another upset. Stay tuned as this underdog story unfolds on center court.
Reference(s):
Chinese veteran Zhang Shuai shuts down rally by Cirstea at Wuhan Open
cgtn.com
