- Russian strike kills six as Ukraine marks defenders day
- Mariners stunned at home by Buriram in AFC Champions League Elite
- UAE oil giant ADNOC swoops on German chemicals firm Covestro
- Alcaraz downs Medvedev in straight sets to reach Beijing final
- Anger in Nepal over relief delays as flood toll hits 218
- Eurozone inflation falls under 2% for first time since 2021
- Jaiswal leads India to remarkable victory in rain-hit Bangladesh Test
- China Open history-maker Zhang nearly quit after long losing run
- Rutte dismisses Trump fears as he takes reins at NATO
- 'I pleaded guilty to journalism,' Wikileaks' Assange
- Bangladesh crumble for 146, India need 95 to sweep series
- Multiple deaths in school bus fire in Thailand: PM
- Coldplay ticket scalping fiasco sparks backlash in India
- Droughts drive Spanish boom in pistachio farming
- Frustrated French clubs turn away players in post-Olympics sports boom
- Defiant history-maker Zhang Shuai powers into Beijing last eight
- India police detain top activist after month-long climate march
- Matisse retrospective traces journey through artist's career
- Major League Eating: the sport of stuffing your face
- Sacred filth offers India's sex workers brief respect
- Bloomers and flats: Paris Fashion Week's big trends
- Rural schools empty in North Macedonia due to exodus
- Locals toil as experts toast Turkish wine renaissance
- Thousands evacuated as Super Typhoon Krathon approaches Taiwan
- Indian Kashmir votes in final round of regional polls
- Kenya airport whistleblower fears for his life
- Goff perfect as Lions claw Seahawks, Titans sink Dolphins
- Champions League can put Asian women's football on map, say players
- Vinicius taking control as holders Madrid face Lille
- Bologna living the dream with Champions League clash at Liverpool
- Tokyo recovers some losses as most Asian markets rise
- 'Teflon Mark' Rutte to stick to his guns as NATO chief
- Rutte takes reins at NATO as US vote looms
- Australia look to cement dominance in women's T20 World Cup
- Aston Villa target repeat of 1982 Champions League heroics against Bayern
- Rwandan ex-doctor goes on trial in France accused of genocide
- With bulging in-tray, Ishiba to become Japan PM
- Sheinbaum to take office as Mexico's first woman president
- Scientists fear underfunded Argentina research on verge of collapse
- Long-delayed cruise leaves Belfast after four months
- Baseball great Pete Rose dead at 83: US media
- Braves, Mets split double-header to seal wild card berths
- With 118 dead from Hurricane Helene, Biden defends US government response
- California enacts law to protect brain data
- Breeder who tried to create enormous trophy sheep jailed in US
- Qatar Airways seeking 25% stake in Virgin Australia
- Georgia judge overturns US state's six-week abortion ban
- US port officials gird for strike as labor talks stay stuck
- Evanilson off the mark in Bournemouth win over Southampton
- 'Rust' armorer loses bid for new trial
China Open history-maker Zhang nearly quit after long losing run
Zhang Shuai admitted Tuesday she nearly quit after losing 24 matches in a row -- now the world number 595 is into the quarter-finals of her home China Open.
The 35-year-old wildcard will face Spain's Paula Badosa as the lowest-ranked player to reach this stage in the history of the tournament.
Zhang went into Beijing on a barren run lasting more than 600 days and her string of singles defeats was the second-longest on the WTA Tour in the Open Era, which began in 1968.
In a dramatic change of fortune, the former top-25 player who has been plagued by injury, has now won four matches in seven days without dropping a set.
Speaking after a dominant 6-4, 6-2 victory over Magdalena Frech in the last 16, Zhang laid bare the pain she endured as she suffered loss after loss.
"Coming to Beijing I had a lot of pressure and was nervous because I had lost 24 matches," said Zhang, who has reached two Grand Slam singles quarter-finals, in 2016 at Australia and Wimbledon in 2019.
"I had no idea how to win and I didn't want to lose another, especially with all the Chinese fans.
"When I think about this, I'm really sad.
"Walking back to the locker room, I didn't know if I should continue or not before this tournament."
Zhang was encouraged to carry on playing singles because she was still winning matches in doubles, in which she is a two-time major champion.
She reached the women's doubles final at the US Open last month with France's Kristina Mladenovic.
Zhang felt she had a chance to snap her losing streak in Beijing because she feels completely at home on the hard courts there, where she has played many times down the years.
Zhang is popular among other players in the locker room and said that their support, along with that of her coaching team, pulled her back from the brink of quitting.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka this week said that it was emotional to see Zhang win again.
"Sometimes I lost the faith because the good result never came," Zhang said.
"But my coach said he trusted me. He said, 'For sure one day, if you win one win, you can continue to win a lot of matches.'
"It helped me a lot, a lot.
"If someone had told me to retire, maybe I'm done."
J.Pereira--PC