Zhang/Stosur win doubles match

Two local Chinese players were in action in a purple group round-robin doubles match at the WTA Finals Shenzhen yesterday, as 7th seeds Zhang Shuai/Australian Samantha Stosur defeated No. 4-seeded Xu Yifan/Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada, 4-6, 6-4 (10-5).

Zhang/Stosur got an early break to storm to a 3-0 lead out of the gate off consistent first service shooting. But they would begin to slip following this early show of strength, double-faulting twice and surrendering the early lead.

Dabrowski/Xu were undeterred and responded with two breaks of their own to go up 4-3, never facing break point again and firing off an ace on the way to serving out the first set in just over half an hour.

The second set was a much more closely-fought affair. Each side held to love on their opening services, but Zhang/Stosur were made to sweat on each of their remaining services on the way to a 4-3 lead, saving a total of nine break points.

This resilience on the part of Zhang/Stosur would prove decisive, as the pair converted a break point to love to break the stalemate and seal the second set to force a deciding tiebreak.

Zhang/Stosur quickly stormed to a 5-2 lead in the tiebreak and never looked back from there, stitching up the win in just under 90 minutes. The pair now have one win and one loss in the purple group round-robin standings.

Meanwhile, world No. 3 Naomi Osaka withdrew from the WTA Finals with what has been reported as a right shoulder injury.

“I’m disappointed to have to withdraw from the Finals,” Osaka said. “It has been a great event in Shenzhen, and it’s the biggest WTA event of the year. This is not how I wanted to end this tournament or my season. I look forward to getting healthy and hope to be back here in Shenzhen next year,” Osaka said.

On Monday, Wimbledon champion Simona Halep saved a match point in the second set and then powered to a rousing comeback victory over Canadian sensation Bianca Andreescu.

The No. 5 seed prevailed with a gruelling 3-6,7-6 (6), 6-3 win in 2 hours and 34 minutes at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center.

Andreescu, who at 19 is the youngest player in the draw, had a match point in the 12th game of the second set but was unable to convert and fell away after that.

Halep moved on top of the Purple Group alongside defending champion Elina Svitolina, who earlier beat No. 2 seed Karolina Pliskova 7-6 (12), 6-4 in 1 hour and 53 minutes.

“I love playing under pressure,” Halep said after the match. “I’m happy that I could fight with a girl who is 10 years younger than me.”

There has been much attention on Andreescu since she beat Serena Williams in the U.S. Open final, and she started confidently in her first appearance at the season-ending showpiece in Shenzhen.

In a matchup of the past two Grand Slam champions, Andreescu dictated early from the baseline and ruthlessly pounced on Halep’s tentative serve to break three times in a dominant opening set.

It was a see-saw in the second set with both players struggling to hold serve before Halep produced her best when it mattered most to force a deciding set.

Andreescu received medical attention on her lower back between sets and she appeared lethargic in the deciding set as a rejuvenated Halep took full advantage.

China’s Zhang Shuai (R) and Australia’s Samantha Stosur in action against defeated Xu Yifan of China and Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center yesterday. Photos by Liu Xudong