Zhang Shuai: A Disappointing Withdrawal at the Guangzhou Open, Yet a Source of Hope

Zhang Shuai’s sudden retirement in the semifinals of the Guangzhou 250 tournament quickly drew sighs from fans and online viewers alike.

After a grueling three-set win against qualifier Voracova in the quarterfinals, many people's first reaction was that Zhang Shuai would, after eight years, once again advance to the final in her favored Guangzhou, with hopes of winning her third singles crown at the event.

The confidence in Zhang Shuai mainly stems from her quarterfinal match where Voracova was in excellent form and posed significant challenges throughout the match. Ultimately, Zhang relied on her vast experience in major tournaments and exceptional resilience to narrowly overcome Voracova in a thrilling contest.

Additionally, the battle against Voracova was seen as the moment Zhang Shuai fully unleashed her strong form. Having overcome the toughest match, her chances of winning the semifinal against the less formidable Li An seemed very high.

Moreover, when the two first faced off at the 2021 Australian Open, Zhang Shuai played injured and was swept in straight sets by Li An. Now, with a chance for revenge and home-court advantage, it’s clear that Zhang would be eager to settle the score.

Therefore, before this key match even began, the topic of revenge was highly discussed in the live broadcast chatroom. Everyone was eager to see how Zhang Shuai would decisively defeat Li An, achieve sweet revenge, and then advance to the final to meet Sun Lulu amid the crowd’s roaring cheers.

From the start of the first set, Zhang Shuai and Li An created an intense atmosphere together. They battled fiercely from the baseline with a very fast pace. Fans and viewers in the live chat remarked that to catch every exciting moment, one had to stay highly focused, as even a brief lapse could cause regret, showing just how intense their fast-paced exchanges were.

Seeing both players withstand each other’s firepower in the first four games, fans predicted the first set would likely be decided by a tiebreak. However, as the match progressed, Li An maintained high-level serving and baseline play, while Zhang suddenly lost the rhythm and quickly fell behind.

When Li An reached a commanding 5-2 lead in the first set, everyone realized it would be very difficult for Zhang Shuai to turn things around. Fans in the live chat comforted her, saying losing the first set wasn’t the end, the match was still ongoing with hopes for a comeback in the second set. Unexpectedly, Zhang then suddenly announced her withdrawal, surprising everyone.

After the match, during discussions about the incident, some remarked that it was already surprising Zhang Shuai had made it to the semifinals stage, implying they had expected her to withdraw before the match.

In her post-quarterfinal interview after defeating Voracova, Zhang Shuai’s first words were, “I won a match that seemed impossible to win.” She said this because the nearly three-hour match had drained her physically at age 36, and she was extremely exhausted. “Without the encouragement and support from fans, I wouldn’t have won this match.”

Seeing Zhang so fatigued and considering her age of 36, which likely slows recovery compared to younger players, there were already two worries: one, that her match against Li An would be very tough and probably result in a loss; two, that she might withdraw.

Although Zhang did not withdraw before the match, Li An played with fierce energy as if supercharged, which further strained Zhang’s not fully recovered stamina. Eventually, it seemed inevitable that Zhang had to retire.

At first, after the withdrawal, people wondered if Zhang had suffered a new injury, which would be very unfortunate at this critical time as she aims to qualify for next year’s Australian Open main draw. Fortunately, Zhang’s withdrawal appears unrelated to injury and is simply due to exhaustion—she truly could not continue.

Zhang Shuai’s withdrawal just one step away from the final disappointed everyone who wanted to witness her return to the Guangzhou Open final after eight years. Many lamented the missed opportunity to claim the title during the Chinese season.

Another regret from this withdrawal is that Zhang missed the chance to re-enter the TOP 100 rankings. After reaching the semifinals in Guangzhou, her current world ranking rose to 106. Had she beaten Li An, she would have secured a spot in the TOP 100 next week. Unfortunately, with this withdrawal, that goal must wait until the Hong Kong 250 tournament.

Nevertheless, Zhang Shuai has not come away empty-handed at this year’s Guangzhou Open. Although she remains outside the TOP 100 at 106, this ranking will make her China’s third-ranked female player next week. From returning with a singles ranking outside the TOP 600 and facing doubts about her comeback, to now becoming China’s third best, Zhang’s story is truly inspirational and a testament to her fighting spirit!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moonlit Starry Sky)