At the Ningbo Open quarterfinals, a 31-year-old veteran’s spirited run finally met its match against a rising star. Zhu Lin, the last Chinese player standing in front of a home crowd, stormed through the opening set 6-2, thrilling fans and hinting at another upset after her earlier victories over Emma Raducanu and top seed Mirra Andreeva.
But 21-year-old Diana Shnaider, unfazed by the atmosphere, found her rhythm in the second set. Steadying her serve and pushing Zhu onto the defensive, Shnaider turned the tide with a 6-3 set win. In the decider, Zhu’s energy dipped, and Shnaider closed out the match 6-1, sealing the final score at 2-6, 6-3, 6-1.
The match highlighted a classic generational clash: the resilience and experience of a veteran against the power and poise of a rising talent. Shnaider’s comeback not only booked her spot in the semifinals, where she will face compatriot Ekaterina Alexandrova, but also underscored her growing stature on hardcourts.
For Zhu Lin, the result marks the end of a memorable home-soil run. With valuable momentum and fresh insights from Ningbo, she now sets her sights on the Guangzhou Open, aiming to parlay this spark into a deeper tournament run.
As the WTA season heats up, both players leave Ningbo with goals: one chasing a breakthrough semifinal berth, the other fueled by a nation’s support and the promise of the next challenge.
Reference(s):
Zhu Lin's spirited home run comes to end in Ningbo Open quarterfinals
cgtn.com
