US Open: China’s only hope Zhang Shuai draws Hailey Baptiste as National Games keep tennis stars away
- Chinese No 2 is country’s sole singles competitor as China National Games keep others away
- Reigning champion Naomi Osaka faces Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic in the first match of her 2020 title defence
The 32-year-old, who is set to overtake Wang Qiang as China’s No 1 women’s singles player when the WTA rankings are updated, has been drawn against Hailey Baptiste of the USA in the first round.
While China’s interest is limited to Zhang, who is also set to contest the doubles, there are several Asian players in the women’s main round draw.
Osaka’s fellow Japanese players Nao Hibino and Misaki Doi are also in the draw. Hibino faces Fiona Ferro of France, while Doi has drawn Storm Sanders of Australia.
Naomi Osaka reduced to tears during Cincinnati news conference
Elsewhere, Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei faces former Wimbledon junior champion Claire Liu of the US while she may be joined in the main draw by compatriot Liang En-shuo, if she can beat Valentini Grammatikopoulou of Greece.
Raducanu, a Chinese-Romanian Briton who was born in Canada, has now turned her focus to full-time tennis after getting her A-level results.
Zhang and Stosur seal doubles crown in Cincinnati
The US Open women’s doubles draw is yet to be made. Last year the tournament was won by Laura Siegemund of Germany and Russia’s Vera Zvonareva after they beat Nicole Melichar of the US and China’s Xu Yifan in the final.
Most Chinese tennis players are expected to be in action at the China National Games next month with the country’s strict quarantine measures preventing them from competing overseas beforehand.
