On January 5, 2022, Beijing time, good news came from Chinese tennis. In the second leg of the Melbourne Summer Series, Zhu Lin, who broke through from the qualifiers, eliminated Grand Slam champion Stosur 2-0 to win seven consecutive singles. In the first leg of the Melbourne Summer Series, although Zhang Shuai saved five match points, he still lost 0-2 to the French teenager Brel, and suffered a defeat in the first game of the new season.
The Melbourne Summer Series is a WTA 250 level event that attracts many good players to sign up. Local star Stosur is one of them, and the veteran Stosur is a Grand Slam women's singles, women's doubles, mixed doubles champion, but the Grand Slam women's singles champion was 10 years ago. Today, Stosur focuses on doubles, and Chinese fans are familiar with her because one of her doubles partners is Zhang Shuai.
Last season, Stosur partnered Zhang Shuai to win the US Open women's doubles title, entering the new season, and the two will also play hand in hand. Compared to doubles, Stosur's singles competitiveness today is indeed average. Facing China's Zhu Lin, Stosur lost key points in a row, lost after double grabbing seven, and did not qualify for the next round. Zhu Lin won a wave of Seven Consecutive New Year's Singles wins without losing a set, followed by No. 6 seed Towson.
It is worth mentioning that the match was played on the centre court of the Australian Open, which is also known as the Rod Laver Stadium. After the game, Zhu Lin said in an interview that Stosur is a very great player and it is an honor to compete with her. In addition, Zhu Lin also said that she played in Rod Laver for the first time and liked it here very much.
In the first leg of the Melbourne Summer Series, Stosur's partner Zhang Shuai also regrettably stopped. Facing French youngster Brielle, Zhang Shuai lost the first set 3-6. In the second set, Zhang Shuai once led 4-1, but was overtaken by the opponent, after which Zhang Shuai tried to save 5 match points, but still lost in the seventh set, lost the second set 6-7, was swept out by the youngster Bregel, and unfortunately lost the first singles game of the new season.
It was the third time the two sides had met in singles, with France's Brielle winning for the first time. After the game, the two sides exchanged friendly exchanges, and Zhang Shuai also patted his opponent's shoulder. So far last season, although Zhang Shuai's doubles results are good, her performance in singles is sluggish, and she hopes to improve in the next step! At present, among the Chinese players, the highest ranking in the women's singles is Zhang Shuai, but it is only 60th, and China Jinhua should catch up!