Day of upsets as Zhang, Svitolina win big in Beijing
Print Edition
HOME hero Zhang Shuai cruised past Simona Halep to book a quarterfinal place at the China Open in rain-hit Beijing yesterday.
Zhang overpowered fifth-ranked Halep in less than a hour, beating her 6-0, 6-3 to delight the home crowd.
It was a day of upsets as Elina Svitolina ousted top seed Angelique Kerber, scuppering her plans of a 12th quarterfinal this season, and intermittent rain interrupted — and then suspended — play on the open-air outer courts.
It was the Ukrainian’s second win this year over a world No. 1 after she denied Serena Williams a fifth Olympic gold medal with a straight set win in the third round in Rio.
In the roofed National Stadium, the home fans’ cheers carried Zhang into the quarterfinals for the first time in seven attempts, dropping just three games en route. The 27-year-old began the year with a first-round upset of Halep at the Australian Open — her first win in a grand slam main draw, which left her in tears.
But there were no tears yesterday — just huge smiles and an ecstatic audience.
Meanwhile, 19th-ranked Svitolina beat Kerber, who ascended to the top of the rankings at the US Open, the same week she also claimed her second grand slam crown, with a 6-3, 7-5 win.
“When they announce (the names at the start of the march) you have this weird feeling because you realize you’re playing against world No. 1,” Svitolina said after the match. “I try to really don’t think about it. If I think too much, I lose my way,” she added.
Kerber, who had her right thigh taped during the match, had a break lead in each set but appeared glued to the baseline and was unable to take control.
“I know that I have to move very well when I play my game, and I couldn’t play my game like I play,” Kerber told reporters.
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