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Jonathan White

Chinese tennis star Zhang Shuai has said that she is having an “amazing week” after making it through to her first Wimbledon quarter-final.
The 30-year-old had never won a match at the All-England Club before this year.
Her reward for beating Ukraine teenager Dayana Yastremska is a meeting with Simona Halep.
Millions will be tuning in back home to see if Zhang can beat the former world No 1.

Zhang Shuai at Wimbledon before 2019: 0-5
Zhang Shuai at Wimbledon in 2019: 4-0 pic.twitter.com/A86Xx7e2Cp
— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) July 8, 2019

Halep beat Cori “Coco” Gauff, the 15-year-old American sensation, and is set to end Zhang’s fairy tale if the form book is to be believed.
Halep came into SW19 as the seventh seed while Zhang is ranked 60th in the world.

However, the Romanian is out for “revenge” against Zhang, having lost two of their three meetings.
This will be the first time they have played away from the hard courts and the first slam event since they played in the Australian Open.
“I think I can take revenge because she beat me a few times. It’s a new challenge, its a big challenge,” Halep said. “I will try to fight till the end to win the match.”

Zhang had never won a match at Wimbledon before this year and now she has beaten former world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki and has a chance to beat another in the Romanian.
“Before the first win, first round, I never think I can make the quarter-final here, because before this year I never win any match singles here,” she said.
“I just try my best, because every opponent [is] very strong. And also, they played really well before at Wimbledon – an amazing week for me.”

This unexpected run at Wimbledon might never have happened, Zhang revealed.
She said her doubles partner Sam Stosur talked her out of quitting tennis in 2015. The pair went on to win the women’s doubles at this year’s Australian Open.
“She’s such a nice girl, and she told me … she really wanted that I keep going to play.”

That came just before Zhang’s breakout run to the quarter-finals at the 2016 Australian Open, where she beat Halep in the first round.
At the time, Zhang was 186th in the world rankings while Halep was the second seed. The Chinese had lost all 14 of her first-round games at grand slam events before beating the Romanian.
Zhang later beat Halep at the 2016 China Open in Beijing.

Can you believe I never win one match before 2019? Thanks very much all crowd to visiting and supporting @Wimbledon #wimbeldon https://t.co/fgfeJsisRP
— Shuai Zhang (@zhangshuai121) July 5, 2019

It is the first time since Peng Shuai in 2015 that there has been a Chinese woman in the second week at Wimbledon, while Zhang has also matched Li Na’s best performance at the All-England Club. Li reached the quarters in 2005, 2006 and 2013.
Before this year, Zhang had fallen in the first round in her previous five Wimbledon women’s singles campaigns.
Zhang also has a mixed doubles round-of-16 game to prepare for with partner John Peers. The fourth seeds face Jelena Ostapenko and Robert Lindstedt.


Meet Anna Ermakova: more than Boris Becker’s daughter from his infamous post-Wimbledon hook-up in Nobu, the Courtauld grad is a model, dance champ and singer whose debut album came out this year

Who is Costeen Hatzi, Nick Kyrgios’ influencer girlfriend who supported him during his comeback at the US Open, where he teamed up with Naomi Osaka?

Who is tennis player Anna Kalinskaya, world No 1 Jannik Sinner’s GF and Nick Kyrgios’ ex?

Meet German ex-tennis pro Tommy Haas, recently embroiled in break-up rumours

Wimbledon

Wimbledon 2019: Simona Halep seeks ‘revenge’ as Zhang Shuai aims to better Li Na with semi-final spot

Zhang Shuai competes against Dayana Yastremska. Photo: Xinhua

(190708) -- LONDON, July 8, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Shuai celebrates after the women's singles fourth round match between Zhang Shuai of China and Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine at the 2019 Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Britain, July 8, 2019. (Xinhua/Han Yan)

(190708) -- LONDON, July 8, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Shuai of China hits a return during the women's singles fourth round match between Zhang Shuai of China and Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine at the 2019 Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Britain, July 8, 2019. (Xinhua/Han Yan)

(190709) -- LONDON, July 9, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Cori Gauff (L) shakes hands with Simona Halep after the women's singles fourth round match between Cori Gauff of the United States and Simona Halep of Romania at the 2019 Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Britain, on July 8, 2019. (Xinhua/Han Yan)

(130703) -- LONDON, July 3, 2013 (Xinhua) -- Li Na of China reacts during the quarterfinal of women's singles against Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland on day 8 of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, Britain on July 2, 2013. Li Na lost 1-2. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) (lm)

Riske rewarded as Barty crashes out of Wimbledon; Gauff’s fairy tale ends

Alison Riske celebrates defeating Ashleigh Barty at Wimbledon. Photo: AP

United States' Cori "Coco" Gauff wipes her face during a women's singles match against Romania's Simona Halep on day seven of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

China’s retired tennis great Li Na becomes first Asian player to join International Tennis Hall of Fame

Former Chinese tennis player Li Na stands in the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne – currently hosting the Australian Open – during Tuesday’s ceremony to celebrate being elected into the International Hall of Fame.

Li Na, Rolex Testimonee, during a tennis game.

Wang Qiang the new Li Na? China No 1 making her own mark as she keeps on rolling at Hong Kong Open

Wang Qiang in action at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open. Photo: Andy Cheung/Hong Kong Tennis Open

Li Na speaks to the South China Morning Post at Victoria Park Tennis Stadium

Retired Chinese tennis player Li Na perform during the 'Kids Participation Day' in Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open 2018 on October 7, 2018. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)

Wang Qiang at the Hong Kong Open

Wang Qiang of China holds the winner's trophy after her women's singles final match against compatriot Zheng Saisai at the Jiangxi Open tennis tournament in Nanchang, in China's central Jiangxi province on July 29, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / - / China OUT

Wang Qian At the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open Championship, Victoria Park Tennis Stadium, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. 9 Oct 2018. (©Andy Cheung/Hong Kong Tennis Open/ ArcK Photography)

Sport

Tennis

China’s only grand slam event winner only reached quarter-finals at the All-England Club three times
World No 60 has already beaten one former No 1 in Caroline Wozniacki in run to last eight


China’s only grand slam event winner only reached quarter-finals at the All-England Club three times


Australian Open 2021

Li Na

Wimbledon 2019: Simona Halep seeks ‘revenge’ as Zhang Shuai aims to better Li Na with semi-final spot

China’s only grand slam event winner only reached quarter-finals at the All-England Club three times World No 60 has already beaten one former No 1 in Caroline Wozniacki in run to last eight

China’s only grand slam event winner only reached quarter-finals at the All-England Club three times

World No 60 has already beaten one former No 1 in Caroline Wozniacki in run to last eight