On October 22, 2024, Beijing time, in the first round of the WTA250 Guangzhou Women's Tennis Open singles competition that just concluded, China's 36-year-old veteran Zhang Shuai performed outstandingly, defeating the No. 8 seed Russian powerhouse Lashimova with a total score of 2-0 (6-2/6-1) to advance to the top 16.
She gained 30 world ranking points, her world ranking soared to 213rd, and she successfully secured her place in the qualifying round of the Australian Open. In the next round, she will compete with American player Pera for a spot in the women's singles quarter-finals.
Let's take a look at the detailed match statistics:
Zhang Shuai is currently ranked 237th in the world, while Lashimova is ranked 61st in the world and is also the No. 8 seed of this tournament. This was their first career meeting, and the outcome was unpredictable.
First set: The game started with both sides holding serve, with the score tied at 2-2. Zhang Shuai then began to exert herself, with sharp attacks and active movement, eventually winning four consecutive games to take the first set 6-2.
Second set: The first two games saw both players hold serve to tie at 1-1. Zhang Shuai then took control of the match rhythm, leaving her opponent powerless. With her powerful offensive firepower, Zhang Shuai won five consecutive games and ended the set by winning nine consecutive points, ultimately sweeping her opponent 6-1 to advance.
The entire match lasted only 58 minutes. Zhang Shuai served 4 aces, with a first serve success rate of 61% and a first serve point-winning rate of 88%. She scored 25 winners and made only 5 unforced errors. Her break point conversion rate was 67%, and her service hold rate was 100%. Her opponent did not get any break point opportunities, with a total of 56 points.
Lashimova served 3 aces, made 4 double faults, had a first serve success rate of 50%, and a first serve point-winning rate of 57%. She only had 9 winners and 15 unforced errors, with a total of 27 points.
Today's Zhang Shuai's terrifying form is very similar to when she played in the China Open. At that time, Zhang Shuai relied on a wild card to advance all the way to the quarter-finals of the China Open, especially defeating the eighth-ranked American star Navarro, causing a major upset. With her quarter-final finish, she earned 225 world ranking points, and her world ranking returned to the top 300.
In fact, Zhang Shuai is really inspiring. Before the China Open, she had achieved a 24-match losing streak across seasons. When many people thought she was about to retire, she came back to life again. The China Open is really the place where Zhang Shuai was reborn from the ashes.
Fortunately, Zhang Shuai did not give up and kept encouraging herself. We also believe that she will achieve good results in this Guangzhou Women's Tennis Open, after all, she has won the women's singles championship twice here. Will the third time be far away?