Fairy-tale run at Australian Open as good as winning title, says China’s Zhang Shuai
27-year-old, ranked 133 in the world, looks back on an incredible tournament where she reached the quarter-finals
Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai on Wednesday said she might have lost in the Australian Open quarter-finals but in her eyes, her fairy-tale run was as good as winning the title.
The 27-year-old, ranked 133rd in the world, had an incredible tournament at Melbourne Park, winning three qualifying matches and then four more in the main draw.
It was completely unexpected from a player who last year, disillusioned with her form, considered retiring and had lost all 14 of her previous grand slam matches before this tournament.
“I’m feeling so tired. Everything was feeling very slow on court,” she said, after losing to Britain’s Johanna Konta 6-4, 6-1 on Rod Laver Arena.
“But in my heart I’m feeling I already won the tournament because I won seven matches. It doesn’t matter win or lose today, I’ll just keep going.”
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Zhang had a giant-killing tournament, upsetting second seed Simona Halep and injured 15th seed Madison Keys on her way to her first grand slam quarter-final.
It was the best grand slam performance by a Chinese player since the retirement of Li Na, who won the 2011 French Open and quit the sport as reigning Australian Open champion in late 2014.
“I think it’s tough for everybody. But I did a great job these two weeks. I’m so happy.”
Her march to the quarter-finals is a remarkable turnaround for a player who was acting as ball girl for her friend, Sam Stosur, just days before the opening major of the year.
“She’s helped me a lot in my life, in these past few years,” she said.
“A few years ago she’s a top player, and we practise together in Charleston; also we play doubles in Osaka.
“So we practise sometimes together, we eat dinner together. She gives me a lot of help. She tries to help me keep going.”
Stosur lost in the first round of the first slam of the year to Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic.
It was the fourth time the former world number four had lost in the first round of the Australian Open.