Never backing down in a desperate comeback! Saving match points and emerging from a slump, Zhang Shuai advances to the Miami women's doubles semifinals.

Speaking of Zhang Shuai, many netizens are familiar with her. On the singles court, she has overcome difficulties three times. In January 2016, Zhang Shuai started from the Australian Open qualifiers and won seven consecutive matches, ending an eight-year streak of 14 losses in Grand Slam tournaments. Since then, Zhang Shuai has continued her progress in Grand Slam events, and she has now achieved the feat of reaching the quarterfinals in all four Grand Slams.

In September 2024, Zhang Shuai defeated American player Keys in the first round of the China Open, ending an embarrassing 24-match losing streak in tour events that lasted over a year. After winning, she continued her victorious momentum, advancing to the quarterfinals and regaining recognition from the outside world. Earlier this year, Zhang Shuai started from the qualifiers at the WTA500 Merida tournament and fought her way to the semifinals. Since 2024, her world ranking has entered the TOP65 for the first time.

In mid-January, Zhang Shuai and Belgian player Mertens fought continuously on the Australian Open women's doubles court, winning six consecutive matches and clinching the championship. This was also her first Grand Slam women's doubles title in five years. However, after winning the championship, before this week, Zhang Shuai and Mertens were eliminated early at the WTA1000 Dubai and WTA1000 Indian Wells tournaments, failing to secure even one victory. At that time, many believed she had fallen into another slump.

Last week, Zhang Shuai partnered with Mertens as the fourth seed in the WTA1000 Miami tournament. In the first round, they effortlessly swept past the Indonesian player Tseng Li-mei and Taiwanese player Chan Hao-ching with a score of 6:3, 6:4, finally securing their first WTA1000-level women's doubles victory as a pair in the 2026 season. By winning this match, both Zhang Shuai and Mertens regained their confidence.

In the second round, their opponents were the American pair McNally and Brady, who entered with a wild card. In the first set, Zhang Shuai and Mertens easily won 6:3, standing just one step away from advancing. In the second set, the situation changed dramatically as McNally and Brady launched a counterattack, dragging the match into a tiebreaker. Perhaps because both have won Grand Slam women's doubles titles and are accustomed to big stages, Zhang Shuai and Mertens held their ground, gained an advantage in the tiebreaker, secured the match victory, and advanced to the next round.

In the quarterfinals, their opponents were the American player Pegula and Australian player Hunter. In the first set, Zhang Shuai and Mertens failed to find their form, suffering consecutive breaks and losing the set 2:6. In the second set, they launched a counterattack. When the score was tied at 2:2, they won three consecutive games, securing the set point.

Although Pegula and Hunter attempted a comeback in the ninth game's service game, Zhang Shuai and Mertens still won the set 6:3, dragging the match into the deciding set. In the deciding set, facing a desperate situation where their opponents held four match points, Zhang Shuai and Mertens endured immense pressure and ultimately staged a thrilling comeback with a 14-12 victory, forcefully advancing to the semifinals. In the semifinals, they will face the top seeds Errani/Paolini. Having climbed out of the slump, can Zhang Shuai continue to create miracles? Let us all look forward to it! That's today's tennis story, continuing tomorrow.（Source: Tennis Home Author: Yixin居士）