Shuai Zhang completes massive upset against World No. 8 Emma Navarro

Stone-faced Shuai Zhang pulled off a huge upset over No. 6 seed Emma Navarro in the second round of the China Open. Zhang controlled every aspect of the match, making quick work of the higher ranked opponent, winning 6-4, 6-2.

“I like to give to everybody surprise,” Zhang said, smiling, at a press conference after the match. 

Zhang did not have it easy in tournaments prior to the China Open. In fact, the 35-year-old from China previously lost 24 consecutive tournament matches dating back to February of 2023. Her highest career ranking was No. 22 in January 2023 before the losing streak. She entered the match ranked World No. 595.

Navarro had the opposite momentum coming into the match, straight off her Grand Slam-best semi-final finish ever at the U.S. Open and the highest ranking of her young career at World No. 8. The American won her first WTA Tour title this year in Paris and held a record of 50-20. She has played the most matches of any player on the WTA Tour this year.

The weather was gray and dreary, but the crowd was far from that, sending chants throughout the stadium for their Chinese favorite. Navarro won a back-and-forth first game that spanned 12 points and broke Zhang’s serve in the next, seemingly asserting herself as the aggressor. Everything flipped after that when Zhang won the following four games, breaking Navarro’s serve twice. During that stretch, Navarro showed some rare emotion, throwing her hands up after losing a point. She was able to even the set at four games apiece before Zhang broke her serve once again and then held her own to take a 6-4 first set.

The second set was a continuation of domination from Zhang, who won the final five games. The crowd became louder and louder as the set went on and the possibility of a massive upset grew.  Zhang’s serve was working and Navarro’s was faltering, winning only nine of her 20 service points. Navarro’s serve was an issue all match, winning only 46% of points on her serve, 13% lower than her season average.

On match point, Zhang won a long rally that sent the crowd into a frenzy. She smiled at her coaches as the fans roared, giving their newfound hero a standing ovation. As the victor gave a small speech to her ecstatic fans, Navarro walked out of the stadium seemingly as even-keeled as when she entered.

Zhang will face the winner of Greet Minnen and No. 28 seed Anastasia Potapova. She lost her only match against Potapova in 2019 and has never played Minnen.

—Reporting by Ryan Loomer