Chinese serving notice of improvement
China’s singles involvement at the Australian Open is over for another year, but there were some encouraging signs for the nation’s contingent at 2018’s first Grand Slam.
After four Chinese players lost in the first round, the country’s remaining singles representatives, Zhang Shuai and Duan Yingying, put up brave fights en route to second-round losses on Wednesday.
Zhang battled gamely in a 6-4, 7-6 (5) loss to Czech Denisa Allertova, while Duan could hold her head high for giving French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko a major scare before bowing out 3-6, 6-3, 4-6.
Having endured tough times during an eight-year first-round losing streak at Slams, which ended in 2016, Zhang is keeping Wednesday’s loss in perspective.
“Physically or technically, I’ve not always been the best throughout my career, but I’ve managed to become the toughest of my generation,” said the 28-year-old Tianjin native.
“I’ve learned to only focus on improving in every game and every set on a daily basis so that I can keep going despite the disappointments.
“There might still be a big gap between me and the world’s best, but I’m happy I can still put up a fight against much younger players.”
Duan, too, can draw plenty of positives from her exit at the hands of world No 7 Ostapenko, with the Chinese player’s aggressive forehand and big serve posing plenty of problems for the Latvian.
However, Zhang’s 2016 run to the quarterfinals in Melbourne is still the only occasion when a Chinese player has made the second week of a major since the retirements of China’s two-time Grand Slam winners — Li Na and doubles duo Zheng Jie and Yan Zi.
Zheng and Yan won the Australian and Wimbledon women’s doubles titles in 2006 before Li captured the nation’s imagination by winning the 2011 French Open and 2014 Aussie Open women’s singles crowns.
Those triumphs ignited interest in the sport across China.
Sixteen-year-old Wang Xinyu won a wildcard for the Aussie Open at a playoff in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, to become the youngest Chinese player to appear in a Grand Slam main draw.
Although she lost in the first round on Monday, Wang’s early exposure to the pro circuit impressed Zheng.
“I didn’t know what it was like to play pro tennis when I was that young. She’s already in the main draw of a Grand Slam. What progress!” said Zheng, who retired in 2015.
Another teenager, Wang Xiyu, also made the world take note in October by winning her first-round match at her debut WTA event in Tianjin at the age of 16.
That triumph followed her girls’ doubles runner-up finish at the 2017 US Open.
“With so many pro tournaments in China and increasing encounters with the world’s best, the younger group has what it takes to achieve better breakthroughs,” said Zheng.