Zhang Shuai beats a painful record

[Tennisfan339]

- Lyon 2023 R1 : W Madison Brengle, 6-3 6-2
1) Lyon 2023 R2 : L Maryna Zanevska, 6-2 6-0
2) Abu Dhabi 2023 R1 : L Anett Kontaveit, 6-4 6-7 6-4
3) Doha 2023 R1 : L Petra Kvitova, 7-5 6-2
4) Dubaï 2023 R1 : L Qinwen Zheng, 6-3 6-1
5) Indian Wells 2023 R1 : L Rebecca Petterson, 3-0 RET
6) Charleston 2023 R1 : L Julia Grabher, 6-4 1-6 6-3
7) Strasbourg 2023 R1 : L Anna-Lena Friedsam, 6-0 6-0
8) Roland-Garros 2023 R1 : L Magda Frech, 6-1 6-1
9) Nottingham 2023 R1 : L Tatjana Maria, 6-1 6-4
10) Birmingham 2023 R1 : L Emma Bektas, 6-4 6-3
11) Eastbourne 2023 R1 : L Harriet Dart, 7-5 6-7 6-1
12) Wimbledon 2023 R1 : L Donna Vekic, 6-2 6-3
13) Budapest 2023 R1 : L Amarissa Toth, 6-5 RET
14) Warsaw 2023 R1 : L Tereza Martincova, 7-6 6-4
15) Prague 2023 R1 : L Yue Yuan, 6-2 6-2
16) Montreal 2023 R1 : L Anna Blinkova, 4-6 6-2 6-3
17) United Cup 2024 RR : L Olga Danilovic, 6-4 1-6 7-6
18) Dubai 2024 R1 : L Karolina Pliskova, 6-3 7-5
19) Indian Wells 2024 R1 : L Mai Hontama, 5-7 6-2 6-0
20) Miami 2024 R1 : L Daria Gavrilova, 6-4 2-6 6-4
21) Madrid 2024 R1 : L Shelby Rogers, 6-3 6-2


She just recorded her 21st consecutive Loss in the 1st Round of Madrid (not counting qualifying and ITF matches). I haven't read anything official about it, but multiple sources imply this is THE all-time record. It might be a record, but a depressing one. She was still ranked #22 in Lyon last year (February 2023). She is now using a protected ranking.

 

[ollinger]

Pro tennis record? No. Vince Spadea lost 21 straight a little over 20 years ago. (and I think you list 16 losses, not 20))

 

[Tennisfan339]

Pro tennis record? No. Vince Spadea lost 21 straight a little over 20 years ago. (and I think you list 16 losses, not 20))

I added Lyon Abu-Dhabi Doha and Dubaï.

You're right about Spadea but in Women's tennis I think it's the record.

 

[Sport]

Weird. Most brutal, decissive and fastest tennis decline I ever saw. At least Thiem won some matches here and there.

 

[Gizo]

It was a shame as she was so close to breaking into the top 20 and achieving her career best ranking, before this losing streak started, having reached the final in Birmingham, quarter-finals in Cincy, 4th round at the USO, semis in Tokyo and 4th round at the AO for example.

However she entered 33 events in 2022, including a series of 125k events / challengers at the end of the year (3 in consecutive weeks in December), and looked to be overplaying - she also played doubles in many of those events as well. She also played 125k events in mid-December 2021, so was basically playing non-stop for a while without a proper break (when well into her 30s). That surely took its toll.

She lost her her first 14 grand slam main draw matches during her career from 2008-2015, with numerous unsuccessful qualifying campaigns in and around then, before reaching the quarter-finals in her 15th appearance at the 2016 AO.

Abigail Spears also lost in 20 consecutive matches from 2005-2006, but that streak included qualifiers and ITF as well. Zhang’s losing streak has only included WTA main draw matches plus the United Cup, with her not playing in qualifiers or ITF / challenger events during that period. Rankings don’t always tell the full story of course, but she was officially higher ranked than her opponent during 12 of the 20 defeats.

 

[Tennisfan339]

Just edited the thread and I'll edit it as long as she keeps losing. Just extended her losing streak to 21 in Madrid. If Ollinger's stat about Vince Spadea is correct, I guess Zhang only needs one more loss and she'll break the all-time record.

 

[tennis3]

If Ollinger's stat about Vince Spadea is correct, I guess Zhang only needs one more loss and she'll break the all-time record.

Vince has vowed to come out of retirement to defend his record if necessary

 

[AO13]

Oh yeah, the girl that got robbed by that incredibly unsportsmanlike player (was her Romanian or Bulgarian?) and had a mental breakdown after the player cleared the mark before supervisor checked it, so she had to retire the match, resulting in sheer joy of that other clown of a woman.

Put all this aside, obviously she has some mental problems which are disabling her from playing her top tennis, as tennis is primarily mental game.​

 

[Aussie Darcy]

She never recovered from that disgusting cheat Toth at the Hungarian Open back in July.

For those who don’t know, read and watch here:

‘Looking for trouble’: Player doubles down after Aussie stars slam ‘disgusting’ sportsmanship

‘Looking for trouble’: Tennis villain doubles down after Aussie stars slam ‘disgusting’ sportsmanship

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Zhang has also struggled because she had been unable to return to China to see her family due to Covid restrictions. I remember back in June/July she said she hasn’t seen them in 3 years which is just insane to think about. She may have seen them now but it’s no surprise she’s been struggling. Especially when you think of what happened to her countrywoman Peng Shuai…

 

[darthrafa]

maybe i am wrong
but it shows she should have trained more specifically if she wishes to win at least one round

 

[vive le beau jeu !]

how did she dare equal vince's mythical record?!
spadea ain't afraid of ya...