In a thrilling showdown at the Australian Open, China's Zhang Shuai and France's Kristina Mladenovic showcased heart and determination before bowing out in the women's doubles quarterfinals. Facing the top-seeded duo of Taylor Townsend from the USA and Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic, Zhang and Mladenovic fell 6-1, 7-5 in a gripping 70-minute match on Wednesday afternoon at Melbourne Park.
Despite a tough first set, the dynamic pair refused to go down without a fight. After dropping the opener in under 30 minutes, they rallied in the second set, coming back from a 5-2 deficit and saving two match points! 😱 Their spirit had fans on the edge of their seats as they battled the reigning Wimbledon champions.
\"There was definitely a lot of pressure,\" admitted Siniakova after the match. \"We made mistakes, and suddenly it was close, but we were the ones who had the set up, so we were still trying to fight, and I'm really happy that we managed to finish it.\"
The match was filled with intense moments. At 5-3, with Townsend serving for the win, Zhang fired up a stunning forehand down the line to bring up three break points, converting the first when Townsend's volley went wide. Zhang then had the chance to level the set at 5-5 on her serve, bravely saving two match points to keep their hopes alive.
Ultimately, the top seeds proved too strong, with Townsend and Siniakova hitting 25 winners, nearly double the 13 from Zhang and Mladenovic. The American and Czech duo will now face Russia's Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider in the semifinals.
For Zhang Shuai, her journey at this year's first Grand Slam was nothing short of impressive. Competing in three events, she reached the second round in women's singles and the quarterfinals in both women's doubles and mixed doubles. 👏🏆
Reference(s):
Zhang/Mladenovic fall in Australian Open women's doubles quarterfinals
cgtn.com
