MELBOURNE — Disillusioned by her struggles on the tour, the Australian Open could have been Zhang Shuai's last grand slam appearance but the Chinese qualifier found a reason not to quit on Tuesday when she sent second seed Simona Halep packing.
With her parents watching in the crowd for the first time, the 25-year-old wept with emotion at Margaret Court Arena after completing a stunning 6-4 6-3 win to set up a second round match with Frenchwoman Alize Cornet.
Only months before, Zhang, from China's northern port of Tianjin, had all but resolved to hang up her racquet and pursue a simpler life on the soil.