Coco Gauff sounded extremely happy for Zhang Shuai finally managing to end her 24-match streak and it was for a good reason since the Chinese delivered one message to the American that deeply stuck into her mind.
After 603 days without a win on the WTA Tour, the former world No. 22 snapped her losing run in front of her home fans after overcoming 65th-ranked McCartney Kessler 7-6 (5) 7-6 (1) in the Beijing first round as a wildcard.
Just as the 35-year-old was celebrating her first victory since 2023 January, the 2023 US Open champion was speaking with reporters at the China Open. And the moment was used to ask Gauff if she had any thoughts on the current world No. 595 putting a curtain on the second-longest losing streak in Tour history.
“It was tough to see her going through the streak, but honestly through it all you would have never noticed she was going through that. I’ve seen her literally five minutes after matches and she would still say hi to me and be so excited to see me, which, I’m not like that after I lose. That just shows the type of person she is. I’ve learned a lot from her,” the world No. 6 told WTA Insider.
Gauff reveals Zhang’s message that meant very much to her
After making it clear how thrilled she was for the four-time WTA champion being back on the winning ways, the 20-year-old proceeded to make a revelation. When she was having a hard time dealing with heartbreaking Grand Slam losses, the Chinese approached her and confidently told her that she was willing to “bet my life” that she was going to become a Major winner. That happened following the American’s 2023 French Open quarterfinal loss to Iga Swiatek.
A month later, Gauff lost in the Wimbledon first round and fell to one of the lowest points of her career. But she still thought about Zhang’s message – and in September of that year – lifted her first Slam title at the US Open.
“She said ‘Don’t worry Coco. You will win a Grand Slam. I have so much belief in you. I would bet my life on it.’ And then I won US Open! I never told her that, but it stuck with me for a long time, just that she had that belief in me. I think every player on tour likes her so it’s so great to see her win. I love her. She deserves everything,” the 2023 US Open champion recalled.
Zhang reacts to ending her losing run, reveals how colleagues supported her
This week, the 35-year-old is making her 13th main draw appearance at the China Open and overall this is her 15th time playing in Beijing since she also twice competed in qualifying there. In her second tournament appearance which came in 2009, the Chinese collected her first WTA victory before also proceeding to shock former world No. 1 Dinara Safina 7-5 7-6 in the second round.
Between 1968 and 1972, Madeleine Pegel lost the first 29 Tour matches of her career. By beating Kessler, Zhang confirmed that she would not be the one breaking Pegel’s negative record. And since Beijing is the place where she clinched her first win in nearly two years, the former world No. 22 couldn’t help herself but think of the Chinese capital as a special place.
“I think that this is the perfect timing. My first win at a WTA tournament was 15 years ago at China Open, and then the next day I beat the No.1 player]. Maybe God has a plan,” Zhang told WTA Insider.
After her losing streak started on February 2nd, 2023, she lost 16 matches in a row before ending her 2023 season in August of that year to mentally and physically rest. When the 2022 Lyon champion returned to action in February, her woes continued and she went winless in her first eight matches of the year.
During that time, some of her colleagues noticed what was happening and had only words of encouragement.
“Nobody cared how many matches I lost because everybody said you play so well. When I came back I played Daria Saville at Miami. After the match, she said you’re still at the top, even better than before when you were ranked in the Top 30. So keep playing, the win will come. I have a lot of motivational feelings from my friends because I feel everybody is my friend. I don’t feel they are my opponents. If you play good, I am happy for you. But you also show me how much I can improve. We inspire each other. That is the big family in the WTA Tour. I like it. That’s why I continue to keep playing,” the 35-year-old said.
Meanwhile, Zhang plays against sixth-seeded Emma Navarro in the Beijing round-of-16.
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