Zhang looking to follow Li’s lead
Inspired by Grand Slam winner Li Na, China’s current No 1 ace Zhang Shuai relishes the opportunity to stand tall for her country on the international tennis circuit.
Even without the revered Li fighting by their side, Chinese players competing at the French Open still sense the national pride at Roland Garros, where Li, now retired, won her first major singles championship in 2011 to put China on the global tennis map.
Zhang, the 27th seed in Paris, recalled her 2012 French Open campaign as an inspirational trip following Li’s epic win the previous year.
“I still remember how excited I was and how much I wanted the same honor to happen in my career as well when I saw the red flag flying here in 2012,” Zhang said of the tournament’s tradition to hang the defending champion’s national flag at its central court.
“Everyone has a hero, and sister Na is the one in our time,” said Zhang, who beat Slovakia’s Kristina Kucova 6-0, 7-5 in the first round at Roland Garros on Tuesday.
“Maybe I am still not strong enough to raise my national flag as Li did, but I won’t stop trying to realize the dream one day.”
Another Chinese player, 41st-ranked Peng Shuai, also advanced to the second round after beating Serbian Aleksandra Krunic 6-3, 6-4 to set up a match against 7th seed Caroline Garcia.
As the highest-ranked among six Chinese women in this year’s singles main draw, Zhang expects to eclipse her best previous result (third round in 2017), and the resilience she showed en route to beating Kucova bodes well for that goal.
After the lopsided first set, the 260th-ranked Kucova improved her forehand quality, and after the two players held serves for a 2-2 tie, the Slovakian broke for an upper hand. Zhang broke Kucova’s service in the sixth game, then won two straight to cement a second-round berth.
“I know it won’t be that easy to finish the job. I lost my concentration a bit midway through the match and my opponent became more aggressive, so I found myself in difficulty,” said Zhang, who next faces her long-term training partner, Romania’s IrinaCamelia Begu, on Wednesday.
“She is adept on clay, and pretty powerful. I often learn footsteps and spinners from her. Hopefully I will have a good performance in the next round,” said the 29-year-old Tianjin native.
Considered a future leader for China since stunning then world No 1 Dinara Safina of Russia at the 2009 China Open, Zhang struggled to live up to expectations with an eight-year first-round losing streak at Grand Slams from 2008-15.
Her career breakthrough happened at the 2016 Australian Open, where she advanced to the quarterfinals all the way from qualification, achieving one of the best results ever for a Chinese player at a Slam.
But Zhang is not satisfied yet.
“Traveling around the world to compete on the professional circuit, the sense of pride and responsibility to represent my country always pushes me to be strict with myself and work harder,” she said.
“Hopefully I can continue to keep improving my finishes at the Grand Slams.”
Maybe I am still not strong enough to raise my national flag as Li did, but I won’t stop trying to realize the dream one day.” Zhang Shuai, on her goal to win more big matches