Chinese tennis star Zhang Shuai and El Salvador's Marcelo Arevalo secured a hard-fought victory over two-time Wimbledon champions Desirae Krawczyk (U.S.) and Neal Skupski (UK) on Monday, advancing to the mixed doubles semifinals in a thrilling 7-5, 7-6(7) match.
The Chinese-Salvadorian duo avenged their 2023 French Open quarterfinal loss to the same opponents, showcasing improved coordination under pressure. After a tense first set featuring 11 consecutive service holds, Zhang and Arevalo delivered a decisive love game to break their rivals and claim the opener.
Maintaining momentum in the second set, the pair broke early for a 4-1 lead before surviving a fierce comeback that forced a tiebreak. Despite squandering two match points, they clinched victory at 9-7 in the tiebreak, demonstrating remarkable resilience against the 2021-2022 Wimbledon titleholders.
Their semifinal opponents will be Joe Salisbury (UK) and Luisa Stefani (Brazil), with the match scheduled for Tuesday. This marks Zhang's deepest Wimbledon mixed doubles run since 2019.
