Before Tuesday, Zhang Shuai of China was 0-14 in Grand Slam matches.
Then Zhang faced Simona Halep, ranked No. 2 in the world, and posted a 6-4, 6-3 win in the opening round of the Australian Open.
Zhang, ranked No. 133, was a qualifier for the main draw. During the post-match interview, the 26-year-old broke down in tears of joy.
Shuai Zhang has an emotional victory over Halep #AusOpen https://t.co/tXDpUXlw3n
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 19, 2016
According to Ben Rothenberg's report in the New York Times, Zhang "contemplated retirement after the United States Open in September, and she brought her parents with her to Melbourne so they could see her compete for the first time in what she thought might be her final tournament."
Her 14 Grand Slam losses were the most with no wins for any player ranked in the top 300.
