Peng hailed after US Open pain
Print Edition
CHINESE netizens hailed Peng Shuai as the “pride” of the country after a heat-related illness ended her US Open dream, with fans extolling her journey from childhood heart surgery to grand slam semifinal.
Social media users in China said Peng’s collapse against Caroline Wozniacki on Friday brought back memories of compatriot Li Na’s defeat in the 2013 Australian Open final when she smashed her head on the floor.
Peng, 28, was seeking to follow Li and become only the second Chinese player to reach a grand slam final. However, the bid finished with her being taken from the court in agony, in tears, and in a wheelchair.
Peng was trailing Denmark’s Wozniacki 6-7 (1), 3-4 when she needed to leave the Arthur Ashe Stadium at Flushing Meadows, New York, to seek treatment — believed then to be for cramping — and play was held up for 10 minutes.
She returned, played a few points but then collapsed to the ground before being escorted away by medical staff and officials.
“The doctor, she said to me, ‘You are not able really go out to fight, compete, because your look is not really well’,” Peng told reporters after recovering from her ordeal. “I said, ‘No, no, no, I don’t want to give up. I want to try one more time’.
“Then I come back. I know I’m not going to stay maybe too long but I just want to try. I just wanted to challenge her one more time.”
Wozniacki went over to Peng to console her opponent in her moment of agony. “It was really hard to watch for me whenever I saw her collapse on the court. Tennis is great, but the health is more important. I just wanted to make sure she was OK. I got the word that she’s OK now and just getting cooled down, so that’s great to hear,” said the Dane.
Peng’s withdrawal was one of the most discussed topics on Sina Weibo, a Chinese microblogging service similar to Twitter, generating more than 40 million comments, including reposts.
“Hang in there, Shuaishuai,” read one post, referring to the star affectionately by repeating her name twice.
“You are the pride of the Chinese people!”
People’s Daily praised Peng in a comment on its Sina Weibo account, saying “there is no loser today... thank you, Shuaishuai, you tried your best!”
Peng, from central China’s Hunan Province, began playing aged eight, but a childhood heart defect meant she could not over-exert herself.
Against the wishes of her family she decided to have a complicated operation at the age of 12 in hopes of continuing her dream.
That health battle was on the minds of some spectators.
“I felt moved to tears for her when I thought how she was trying so hard and that she once had heart surgery,” one user posted online.
Peng has won two grand slam doubles titles — the 2013 Wimbledon Championships and the 2014 French Open.
In February, she became the first male or female from China to attain a top ranking when she became the world’s No. 1 doubles player.
Peng was the third Chinese player to reach a grand slam semifinal after Zheng Jie, who made it to the last four at Wimbledon in 2008 and the Australian Open in 2010, and Li.
Li, China’s biggest tennis star, claimed victory in the French Open in 2011 and the Australian Open in 2014. She also made it to the final in Melbourne in 2011 before last year’s disappointment.
Leading Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, Li rolled her left ankle twice and hit her head on the floor, ultimately losing the match.
“I felt sad when I watched the video of Peng’s withdrawal,” user Leoleeooo posted. “I remembered Li Na falling to the ground twice.”
The post added that hopefully Peng could take the US Open in 2015, just as Li bounced back to triumph in Australia this year.
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