Zhang Shuai’s fairy-tale run in Melbourne is still very much alive! The Chinese World No. 133 successfully booked a ticket into the quarterfinals of the 2016 Australian Open after pulling off the upset over Madison Keys in the fourth round. Zhang will now look to replicate her performance versus the rising Johanna Konta this coming Wednesday.
For the first time in 32 years, there is a British woman playing in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament and she goes by the name of Johanna Konta.
[sc:AUS15-250 ]Konta continued her stellar form at the 2016 Australian Open, battling back from a set down to eliminate Ekaterina Makarova in the Round of 16 (4-6, 6-4, 8-6) and ultimately set up an intriguing encounter with China’s Shuai Zhang.
In her fourth-round clash with Makarova, Konta’s versatility and determination was on full display again. She won 68% of her first serve points, 57% percent of her second serve points and 44% of her return points while also breaking the Russian’s serve four times in 12 opportunities.
So long as Konta continues her impressive serving along with her tremendous confidence, which has been seen in her triumphs over the likes of Venus Williams and Makarova, it wouldn’t be hard to see Konta elevate her game up another level. But it’s worth keeping in mind, though, that she lost her most recent meeting with Zhang at the 2013 Guangzhou International Women’s Open (7-5, 6-3).
Konta is 1-1 overall opposite the Chinese and is 6-4 in her previous 10 matches.
Zhang Shuai extended her dream run at the 2016 Australian Open, as she emerged victorious over the 15th-seeded Madison Keys to seal a quarterfinals date with World No. 47 Johanna Konta.
Zhang, who became the fourth Chinese player to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal, has been beating the odds thus far in the on-going tournament. She defeated the likes of No. 2 Simona Halep, No. 33 Alize Cornet, No. 51 Varvara Lepchenko and the most recent one in Keys to make it all the way up to this point. In that span, Zhang has only lost two sets and her well-balanced attack continues to deliver the goods.
The 27-year-old’s service game, in particular, has been really solid as she’s won 53% of her first serve points and 59% of her second serve points in her previous four matches. Along with that efficiency is also Zhang’s powerful return game which has proven to be almost just as lethal. She’s converted at 50% of her return points in the same stretch.
Zhang may be the underdog in this one but she enters this match oozing with confidence. She can use that confidence along with her highly-efficient play to (hopefully) get another upset and advance to the semifinals.
Zhang is 9-1 in her past 10 matches on the hard courts.
Writer’s Prediction
Johanna Konta (-250) gets the thrilling 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 win.
