Tennis

Sixth-ranked Coco Gauff overcame a sluggish start to defeat Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the quarterfinals of the China Open on Thursday. Gauff will face Paula Badosa of Spain in the semifinals, who earlier ended local wild card Zhang Shuai's impressive run at the title.Starodubtseva, ranked 115th in the world, had not lost a set in her three matches this week and quickly took the lead against Gauff. The American struggled in the first set, making numerous errors and failing to hold serve. However, Gauff showed her resilience by saving two break points in her opening service game of the second set and breaking Starodubtseva's serve to take a 3-1 lead.Gauff continued to dominate the second and third sets, losing only three more games. She displayed her powerful serve and aggressive groundstrokes, forcing Starodubtseva into errors. The American's victory marks her second consecutive comeback win after she rallied from a set down against Naomi Osaka in the previous round.Meanwhile, Badosa continued her impressive form by defeating Zhang Shuai 6-1, 7-6 (4) in the other quarterfinal. The Spaniard has won 28 of her last 35 matches and has reached the semifinals of three of her past five tournaments.Zhang, who entered the tournament on a 24-match losing streak, had been the surprise of the week. She had not dropped a set in her four matches, but she was unable to match Badosa's power and consistency. The Spaniard broke Zhang's serve three times in the opening set and rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the second set to win the tiebreak.

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.

Zhang Shuai, the Chinese tennis veteran, is experiencing a career resurgence at the China Open, drawing comparisons to Rafael Nadal's dominance at the French Open. After a 24-match losing streak, Zhang has won three consecutive matches in Beijing, including a victory over Top 10 player Emma Navarro.Zhang attributes her success to the familiar surface of the China Open court, which she believes gives her an advantage similar to Nadal's on Philippe Chatrier. "When I'm on this court, I have everything," Zhang said. "I have no idea why, but every time when I play China Open, I play so good, so well."Zhang's resurgence is a testament to her resilience and determination. Despite her recent struggles, she has never lost her belief in her abilities. "I don't think too much about before. I don't think too much about future. I just enjoy every moment and think about today," she said.Zhang's next challenge will be against Guadalajara champion Magdalena Frech, who has won her last seven matches. Zhang is confident in her abilities and is channeling the spirit of Nadal's famous quote: "What happened has happened, and here we are; we're in Beijing."Zhang's success at the China Open is a reminder that anything is possible in sports. Even after a difficult period, athletes can find their form again and achieve great things. Zhang's story is an inspiration to all who face adversity in their lives.

China's Zhang Shuai has emerged from a historic slump, snapping a 24-match losing streak that had plagued her since January 2023. Her resurgence began with a first-round victory over McCartney Kessler at the China Open, followed by a stunning upset of world No. 8 Emma Navarro in the second round.Zhang's triumph over Navarro marks her third win against a Top 10 player in her last four matches. Notably, she has not faced any Top 10 opponents during her losing streak. This victory is particularly significant as it comes 15 years after her first career Top 10 win over Dinara Safina at the 2009 China Open.Zhang's impressive record against Top 10 players includes eight wins on hard courts, six in Asia, and four in China, all of which have occurred in Beijing. Her current ranking of No. 595 is projected to rise back into the Top 450 following her recent victories.Zhang's resurgence is a testament to her resilience and determination. She has overcome a challenging period in her career and is now poised to make a strong comeback. Her next challenge will be in the third round of the China Open, where she will face either Anastasia Potapova or Greet Minnen.

Zhang Shuai's arduous singles drought, spanning over a year and a half, has finally come to an end. The 35-year-old Chinese star, who once held the world No. 22 ranking, had not tasted victory in a singles match since January 2023. However, on Wednesday, she broke that streak in emphatic fashion at the WTA 1000 China Open in Beijing.Zhang's opponent in the first round was American McCartney Kessler, who had recently won her maiden tour-level title in Cleveland. Despite Kessler serving for the opening set, Zhang rallied back to win 7-6(5), 7-6(1). The victory marked the end of the second-longest losing streak by a WTA player in the Open Era, behind only Madeleine Pegel's 29-match skid in the early days of the tour.Zhang's losing streak had been punctuated by several heartbreaking defeats. In February 2023, she lost a three-set thriller to Anett Kontaveit in Abu Dhabi. In July, she retired from a controversial match against Amarissa Toth in Budapest after an officiating decision went against her. And at the US Open, she squandered a 6-0 first set lead against Ashlyn Krueger, eventually losing 0-6, 6-1, 7-5.Against Kessler, Zhang showed resilience and determination. After failing to convert a match point in the second set, she regrouped and closed out the match with aplomb. "I think that this is the perfect timing," Zhang said after the win. "My first win at a WTA tournament was 15 years ago at China Open, and then the next day I beat the No. 1 player [Dinara Safina in 2009]. Maybe God has a plan."Zhang's victory is a testament to her perseverance and unwavering spirit. She has faced adversity throughout her career, including a 14-match losing streak in Grand Slam main draws. However, she has always bounced back, proving that she is a force to be reckoned with.In the second round, Zhang will face No. 6 seed Emma Navarro, the US Open semifinalist. It will be a tough test, but Zhang will be confident after breaking her losing streak.