Zhang stuns Stephens to reach Birmingham semis
Print Edition
ZHANG Shuai, world No. 34 from China, caused a high-speed upset to reach the semifinals of the lucrative Wimbledon warm-up event, the US$700,000 Aegon Classic in Birmingham yesterday.
Zhang needed less than an hour to dismiss Sloane Stephens, the third-seeded American 6-3, 6-1, eventually demoralizing an opponent who is the second youngest player in the top 20 and has been widely tipped to push on towards the top 10.
The 21-year-old Stephens gradually became prey to disappointment and self-criticism as Zhang’s tenacious consistency increasingly lured her opponent into errors and disruptive emotions.
It was an even more surprising success because Zhang, the second highest ranked Chinese player, considers grass her least favorite surface. Now though she has a chance of emulating Li Na, the Chinese No. 1, who won this title four years ago.
“I think today because I was on center court I felt great,” said Zhang. “There were so many people watching and supporting me. I think this is why I played well.”
It earned her a third semifinal of the year. Zhang next plays Ana Ivanovic, the top-seeded former world No. 1 from Serbia, who won 6-1, 6-4 against Klara Koukalova, the sixth-seeded Czech.
In the bottom half, Casey Dellacqua denied 43-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan a fairytale ending by winning 6-1, 6-0. The Australian next meets Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, who beat Belgian 4th seed Kristen Flipkens 6-4, 6-2.
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