Fairy-tale run spurs history-maker Zhang to play on

China's 595th-ranked Zhang Shuai has vowed to play on after her historic run in Beijing ended valiantly in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

The 35-year-old has been one of the stories of the China Open, having arrived at the prestigious WTA-1000 event on a streak of 24 singles defeats in a row.

The painful losing run, stretching more than 600 days, was the second-longest on the WTA Tour in the Open Era, which began in 1968.

But, the two-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist, whose career has been hampered of late by injury, enjoyed a remarkable renaissance, winning four matches in a row in the Chinese capital.

It propelled her into the last eight, but it proved a step too far, as she went down 6-1, 7-6 (4) to Spain's former world No 2 Paula Badosa.

Zhang was the lowest-ranked player in the history of the tournament to get that far.

With her fellow players, including Badosa, encouraging her not to give up, Zhang said: "Before, my plan was to play more doubles, focus on doubles.

"But, now, I think I have to change the plan. Paula told me I have to play. Don't retire."

In front of a near-capacity crowd on the 15,000-seater Diamond Court at the Beijing National Tennis Center, Zhang rapidly went a double break down in a blur of unforced errors.

The home favorite finally held to get on the board for 4-1, but Badosa raced away with the first set in 23 minutes.

It was the first set that Zhang had dropped at the tournament.

The two-time major doubles champion was a different proposition at the start of the second set, breaking the Spaniard and holding serve for a 2-0 lead.

Back, though, came Badosa, who is chasing a fifth singles title. The 26-year-old Spaniard sealed the deal on her first match point, when Zhang's forehand return drifted wide.

Zhang, a former top-25 player who has rocketed up the rankings to No 250, added: "Next year I will try to play as many singles matches as doubles matches."

Zhang had considered quitting altogether after racking up loss after loss.

"After the losing streak, I was asking myself, as well as my team and my coach, if I want to continue my professional career.

"Should I continue as a doubles player? I did not want that."

Zhang, who has won two major titles in doubles, said that as much as anything else, she did not know what to do beyond tennis.

Despite being an elite player, she said she had been turned down as a coach at a prestigious university in Beijing.

"I did not have any other options. I had to continue my path on the tour," she said.

"I do not know what I can do after I retire," said Zhang, a popular figure in the locker room.

"I think the only thing left for me is to continue to be on the tour, to be a professional tennis player.

"Other than that, what can I do?"

AFP