Zhang emulates Li Na with last 16 place at French Open

PARIS: Zhang Shuai on Saturday became the first Chinese woman to reach the last 16 at Roland Garros since former champion Li Na in 2012.

Zhang, 31, defeated French wildcard, and world number 357, Clara Burel 7-6 (7/2), 7-5.

The 39th-ranked Zhang will be looking to equal her best performance at the Slams which she achieved in 2016 when she came through qualifying to reach the quarter-finals at the Australian Open.

She also made the last eight at Wimbledon in 2019.

Zhang, the only Chinese woman in the draw in Paris this year, has tasted Grand Slam success before, winning the Australian Open doubles title with Sam Stosur last year.

It was a dramatic contrast to her mood at the end of 2015 when she was pondering retirement from the sport.

Meanwhile, American fourth seed and Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin made the last 16 with a 6-2, 6-0 defeat of Romanian qualifier Irina Bara.

On the day after world number 239 Hugo Gaston and Sebastian Korda, ranked at 213, made the last 16, German qualifier Daniel Altmaier struck another blow for the underdog.

The world number 186 stunned seventh seed Matteo Berrettini of Italy 6-2, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, becoming just the fourth man to reach the round of 16 on his Grand Slam debut since 2000.

Victory also means an unexpected financial windfall for the German who is guaranteed to make at least $221,400 by reaching the last 16 having earned $173,600 in his entire six-year career.

“I didn’t know if I was going to be able to play in Paris as I was injured the week before at a tournament in Aix,” said Altmaier who had previously only won one ATP Tour match in his career.

“But the doctor gave me the go-ahead so I am super-pleased to be here. The tournament continues for me and I am happy to keep going.”

Russian 13th seed Andrey Rublev, the champion on clay in Hamburg on the eve of Roland Garros, eased past veteran South African Kevin Anderson in just 94 minutes.

Rublev didn’t face a break point in his 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 win as he moved into the last 16 for the first time.

Later on Saturday, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic was set to face Daniel Galan, the world number 153 from Colombia. Djokovic admitted he knows absolutely nothing about Galan.

“I don’t know much about him, to be honest,” said Djokovic, the 2016 French Open champion.

“I have never seen him play, so I’ll have to obviously look at his matches, the videos, and try to prepare myself with my team.”

That may be just as well as Galan, a 24-year-old lucky loser from qualifying, says he’s not a “diehard follower” of the world number one.