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Wimbledon Wreck: Zhang Loses 12th Match In A Row
34 year old Shuai Zhang has lost her twelfth match in a row today in the first round at Wimbledon. The Chinese player currently ranked 38 fell to 20 seed Donna Vekic 62 63.
Zhang’s last WTA Tour match win was a week after Australian Open in Lyon, France where she beat Madison Brengle 63 62. But in the following round Zhang fell to Maryna Zanevska 62 60. At that time Zhang was ranked 23 in the world.
Zhang proceeded to lose her first matches in Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Dubai, Indian Wells, Charleston, Strasbourg, Roland Garros and Nottingham, Birmingham, Eastbourne before today’s defeat in Wimbledon. During the 12-match losing streak Zhang has won only three sets and lost one match by double bagel to Anna-Lena Friedsam in Strasbourg.
Zhang has said she is having problems dealing with the Chinese tennis federation. On May 28th, Zhang cried at her Roland Garros press conference, and the Chinese reporter tweeted: “Shuai Zhang could not speak for sobbing in the press conference with Chinese media. Didn’t play Toyko Olympics and had big conflicts with Chinese Tennis Federation. Under tremendous pressure and mentally exhausted after almost three years without coming back to China.”
Milos Raonic won in four sets vs Denis Novak 67 64 76 61.
Taylor Fritz survived Yannick Hanfmann 63 in the fifth set.
10 seed Frances Tiafoe beat Yibing Wu 76 63 64.
Marta Kostyuk was bagled in the first set by Maria Sakkari but turned the tables on the 8 seed for a 06 75 62 win.
China · Shuai Zhang · Wimbledon
