Zhang Shuai refuses to let revenge sweep define her recovery, crowned as the Guangzhou Open’s discipline commissioner after the match.

Once Zhang Shuai’s match against the Russian Zakharova concluded, a collective sigh of relief was felt by all.

After Wang Xiyu and Wang Yafan successfully passed the Guangzhou Open’s opening round, there was widespread worry before the match that the 36-year-old Zhang would face retaliation from the 23-year-old Zakharova.

Although Zhang Shuai had recently defeated Zakharova at the China Open, that match was fiercely contested, with the Chinese star barely advancing after a tough three-set battle, making the win far from easy.

In this first-round encounter at the Guangzhou Open, it was clear that Zakharova was eager to avenge her China Open loss and would fight fiercely against the Chinese star. Given the young Russian player’s aggressive nature and age advantage, concerns for Zhang Shuai were entirely understandable.

Moreover, Zhang Shuai’s recent withdrawal from the singles event at the Ningbo 500 due to physical discomfort was another major concern among observers.

From the intense break battle that began right at the start of the first set, Zakharova’s desire for revenge was unmistakable, while Zhang’s determination to resist was equally strong. Fans and viewers in the live chat speculated that if the match continued at this pace, the first set would likely be decided by a tiebreak.

Unexpectedly, before those words could even settle, Zhang Shuai lost her service game in the third game, instantly heightening the tension in the live broadcast.

Thankfully, Zhang found an opportunity to break back in the sixth game, leveling the score at 3-3 and restoring balance to the match, allowing everyone to breathe a temporary sigh of relief.

It is often said that veterans shine brightest in crucial moments, and this time Zhang Shuai fully demonstrated that truth once again.

With her seasoned experience, Zhang applied pressure during Zakharova’s must-hold service games in the first set, eventually seizing the chance to close out the set at 6-4, putting the Russian player under the greatest pressure throughout the match.

Before the second set began, some viewers jokingly commented in the live chat that Zakharova’s mental lapse under pressure during her critical service game in the first set led to her loss, and if Zhang continued to apply pressure in the second set, the Russian might collapse even faster, giving her a vivid lesson to reflect on for future improvement.

When Zhang quickly took a perfect 2-0 lead at the start of the second set, many in the live chat laughed, saying Zhang clearly shared their hopes, aiming to deliver Zakharova a swift defeat and completely extinguish her desire for revenge.

Although Zakharova managed to break back to make it 1-2, which seemed like it might trouble Zhang, this brief setback only seemed to awaken Zhang’s dominant queen-like spirit, as she won four consecutive games to crush the young Russian player 6-1, securing the match victory and advancing strongly into the Guangzhou 250 tournament’s round of 16.

After the match, many praised Zhang Shuai’s performance and expressed relief about her health, noting that her dominant sweep over Zakharova, especially after withdrawing from Ningbo, indicated she had fully recovered and they looked forward to her potentially winning her third Guangzhou Open title on this favored ground.

Whether Zhang will lift her third Guangzhou Open trophy remains to be seen, but this victory over Zakharova undeniably brings her closer to securing a spot in the 2026 Australian Open main draw.

Currently, Zhang Shuai’s world ranking is about 121, and some netizens calculated that she needs roughly 125 more points to lock in her Australian Open spot; winning the title would mark a significant achievement for her.

Besides comfortably passing the first round, Zhang also gained a new role: discipline commissioner!

Because the Guangzhou Open’s central court is relatively small and some spectators lacked proper etiquette by moving around during matches, causing disruptions to players, Zhang repeatedly called on them to be quiet and not disturb the game. Surprisingly, the audience listened well, leading to the humorous nickname “Guangzhou Open Discipline Commissioner” for Zhang.

Zhang Shuai’s second-round opponent has now been confirmed: she will face Kaja Juvan. This Slovenian player caused a major upset by defeating the third seed Maria in the first round, becoming Zhang’s next challenge!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River’s Starry Sky)