Zhang Shuai of China delighted the home crowd by advancing to the quarterfinals of the China Open in Beijing on Tuesday. The 35-year-old veteran secured a solid 6-4, 6-2 win over Poland’s No. 23 seed Magdalena Frech, marking the third time in her career that she has reached this stage of the tournament.
In the first set, Zhang broke Frech’s serve in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead. Although Frech immediately broke back and leveled the score at 3-3, Zhang remained composed. She seized another break point in the tenth game to clinch the set 6-4.
Building on her momentum, Zhang dominated the second set by converting three consecutive breaks, racing ahead to a 5-1 lead. Despite missing three match points in the seventh game and allowing Frech to reclaim one break, Zhang maintained her focus. In the following game, she secured her sixth break of the match, sealing her victory and a place in the quarterfinals.
Zhang will face Spain’s 15th seed, Paula Badosa, in the next round. With the support of the Beijing fans and her experience on home soil, Zhang aims to surpass her previous best performance at the China Open.
Reference(s):
Zhang Shuai reaches China Open quarters after beating Magdalena Frech
cgtn.com
