LONDON, Great Britain – A second career Grand Slam quarterfinal awaits Chinese veteran Zhang Shuai after she edged teenager Dayana Yastremska on Wimbledon’s Manic Monday.
The 30-year-old World No.50 needed three sets, but out-steadied 19-year-old Yastremska in the round of 16, 6-4, 1-6, 6-2.
It will be Zhang’s first appearance in the last eight of a Grand Slam since a stunning run to the quarterfinals of the 2016 Australian Open, where she qualified and upset Simona Halep en route to her best-ever Grand Slam result.
Another major meeting with Halep could be on the cards for Zhang in this quarterfinal, as she will next face either the No.7 seed or American teenage sensation Coco Gauff.
Related: Zhang handles Wozniacki for Wimbledon breakthrough
After winning a tight opener, Zhang did well to curtail a surging Yastremska in the decider, as she never allowed the Ukrainian to hold serve in the final set.
The Chinese veteran saved two break points in the first game of the final set, which would have seen Yastremska win a seventh game in the last eight played, but ultimately held on and never trailed in the decider.
Zhang had never won a match at Wimbledon in five career main draw appearances prior to this fortnight, but has scored wins over three players ranked ahead of her – and two seeds, in No.14 seed Caroline Wozniacki and No.23 seed Caroline Garcia – so far.
More to come…
