Zhang Shuai
Chinese Tennis player Shuai Zhang handed a walkover mid-way through her match against Kiara Toth – everything you need to know.
Chinese Tennis player Zhang Shuai retired from her Hungarian Grand Prix in tears on Tuesday. Her local opponent, Amarissa Toth, aggravated the situation when she erased a ball mark on the clay court after a contentious line call. Zhang, the second seed, hit a crosscourt forehand that seemed to land on the line, but the line judge declared it as out. The chair umpire intervened, inspecting the mark and ultimately confirming that the ball had indeed landed outside the line. This sequence of events led to Zhang’s emotional retirement from the match.
Furious over the call, Zhang expressed her anger and requested to talk to the tournament supervisor. Although the match continued briefly for one more point, the dispute regarding the contentious call persisted. In the midst of the heated exchange, Toth approached the mark on the court and deliberately used her shoes to erase it. Zhang reacted immediately, shouting, “Wait, wait, wait! Keep the mark!” She questioned Toth’s actions, demanding an explanation for why the mark was being tampered with.
At the changeover, Zhang’s distress was evident, prompting the tournament’s physiotherapist to assess her condition. Despite being ranked 28th in the world, Zhang made the difficult decision to retire from the round of 32 match in Budapest when she was trailing 6-5 in the first set. The home crowd reacted with disapproval at her retirement, while Amarissa Toth, her opponent, shook hands with Zhang and then celebrated by raising her arms in triumph. Following the match, Zhang took to Instagram to express her discontent with the disputed call and expressed gratitude towards her supporters for standing by her side.
Zhang Shuai, a notable women’s doubles tennis player, has an impressive track record. She achieved major success by securing victory in the 2019 Australian Open and the 2021 US Open, both alongside her partner Samantha Stosur. Additionally, she reached the finals of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships with Elise Mertens and has made it to four other major semifinals in both women’s and mixed doubles events.
Zhang attained her career-best doubles ranking as world No. 2 in July 2022 and has amassed 12 titles on the WTA Tour, including the 2021 Cincinnati Open, where she teamed up with Stosur. Moreover, she qualified for the prestigious WTA Finals on two separate occasions, further solidifying her status as a top doubles player.
Apart from her success in doubles, Zhang Shuai has also made a mark in singles tennis. In January 2023, she achieved her highest singles ranking of world No. 22. Throughout her singles career, she has clinched three WTA Tour titles, triumphing at the Guangzhou International in 2013 and 2017, as well as the 2022 Lyon Open. Additionally, Zhang has been a runner-up in three other tournaments. In major events, she reached the quarterfinals twice, at the 2016 Australian Open and the 2019 Wimbledon Championships.
Notably, Zhang Shuai is part of a select group of Chinese tennis players who have reached the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam, joining Li Na, Zheng Jie, Peng Shuai, and Wang Qiang in this accomplishment. Since 2009, she has represented China in the Billie Jean King Cup (formerly known as the Fed Cup) and has also competed at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, further solidifying her role as a prominent figure in Chinese tennis.
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