French Open: Zhang Shuai’s run ends as Petra Kvitova proves too strong
- Chinese star leaves in fourth round having never been to the third before this year at Roland Garros
- Czech goes back into world top 10 and into quarter-finals with victory
Zhang Shuai’s French Open run came to a halt in the form of seventh seed Petra Kvitova, with the 31-year-old outclassed in Paris.
It ended 6-2, 6-4 in one hour and 25 minutes on Court Philippe-Chatrier with two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova proving too strong from the start.
The Czech left-hander is yet to drop a set this year in Paris and it did not like happening in the first set as she dominated with both her first and second serve to race into a 5-1 lead.
Serving to save the set, Zhang pulled through to save two set points and make it 5-2 but she was just delaying the inevitable against the world No 11.
Zhang, who was also knocked out of the women’s doubles on Sunday, then took a medical time out at 5-2 down. There was no notable incident leading to an injury and commentators were puzzled as to Zhang’s reason for calling for the doctor.