In an exhilarating showdown at the Australian Open Asia-Pacific Wildcard playoff women's singles final in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, veteran Zhang Shuai emerged victorious over her compatriot Guo Hanyu with scores of 7-6(2), 0-6, 7-5. This hard-fought win secures Zhang's qualification for the prestigious Grand Slam tournament in 2025.
Reflecting on the match, Zhang acknowledged her opponent's skills, stating, \"Guo Hanyu has great baseline skills and much higher tennis IQ than any player of my generation. Her serves and returning are both excellent. So, though I won today, I call it a lucky victory. I only beat her by one or two points at the end of the contest.\"
This achievement marks Zhang's 13th appearance at the Australian Open. Her notable performances include reaching the singles quarterfinals in 2016 and clinching the women's doubles title alongside Samantha Stosur of Australia in 2019.
Previously seeded No. 23, Zhang advanced to the round of 16 in the last tournament, where she was defeated by Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic. This year, she faced setbacks by missing the Australian Open and the French Open, followed by early exits in the first rounds at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Her return to the Australian Open next year is a testament to her resilience and enduring talent in the sport.
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China's veteran Zhang Shuai makes it back to Australian Open
cgtn.com
