China's Zhang Shuai (L) celebrates with Elise Mertens of Belgium after their third-round doubles win at Wimbledon at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, England, July 4, 2022. (Photo: CFP)
China's top-ranked tennis veteran Zhang Shuai has reached the women's doubles quarterfinals of Wimbledon for the first time in her career.
The 33-year-old and Belgian partner Elise Mertens continued their dominant run by swatting aside 15th seeds Raluca-Ioana Olaru and Nadiia Kichenok in third-round action of the showpiece event on Monday.
The No. 1 seeds needed less than an hour to secure their victory over the Romanian-Ukrainian duo, winning 6-4, 6-3 in a largely one-sided affair.
Belgian Elise Mertens (L) and Chinese Zhang Shuai during their third-round women's women's doubles clash at Wimbledon at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, England, July 4, 2022. (Photo: CFP)
The Wimbledon breakthrough means Zhang, who suffered an agonizing third-round loss to Caroline Garcia of France in the women's singles last week, has made it to the women's doubles quarters at all four Grand Slam tournaments.
It was also Mertens' ninth consecutive doubles wins at the All England Club. The 26-year-old has managed to reach the quarterfinals of the women's doubles for three straight editions of Wimbledon.
Next up for Zhang and Mertens is a much-anticipated showdown with seventh-seeded Slovenian Andreja Klepac and Chilean Alexa Guarachi, who shrugged off a slow start to beat Chinese pair Xu Yifan and Yang Zhaoxuan 6-3, 7-5.
