Adelaide International 1 Samsonova vs Zhang | 02 Jan 23 | |||||
Zhang Shuai (Chinese: 张帅; pinyin: Zhāng Shuài; Mandarin pronunciation: ; born 21 January 1989) is a Chinese professional tennis player.
She is a two-time Grand Slam champion in women's doubles, having won the 2019 Australian Open and the 2021 US Open, both alongside Samantha Stosur. Zhang also finished runner-up at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships with Elise Mertens, and has reached four further major semifinals across women's and mixed doubles. She has a career-high doubles ranking of world No. 2, achieved in July 2022, and has won 12 titles on the WTA Tour, including the 2021 Cincinnati Open with Stosur. Zhang has also qualified for the WTA Finals on two occasions.
She has also enjoyed success in singles, and reached her highest ranking of world No. 22 in January 2023. Zhang has won three WTA singles titles, at the Guangzhou International in 2013 and 2017, and the 2022 Lyon Open, and finished runner-up at three further tournaments. She has reached two major quarterfinals, at the 2016 Australian Open and 2019 Wimbledon Championships. Alongside Li Na, Zheng Jie, Peng Shuai, and Wang Qiang, Zhang is one of only five Chinese tennis players to have reached this stage at a Grand Slam. She has represented China in the Billie Jean King Cup since 2009, and also competed at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games.
Career
Zhang, born in Tianjin, started playing tennis at the age of six, when her parents took her to a local tennis club.
She turned professional in 2003 and played her first singles event in Mollerusa in August of that year. After defeating Matilde Munoz-Gonzalves in the first qualifying round, she lost to Laura Figuerola-Foix. After a full year on the ITF Women's Circuit, Zhang finished 2004 with a year-end ranking of 901st.
She enjoyed considerable success in singles on ITF tournaments, having won one $50k event, eight $25k and three $10k events between 2006 and 2009. As of October 2009, however, she had won only two main-draw tournaments on the WTA Tour. However, she won her first singles title at the 2013 Guangzhou Open as a wildcard entrant.