Zhang Shuai returns to the TOP90 and posts an inspiring essay; her reason for not withdrawing from the Angers tournament resonates deeply with working people.

Zhang Shuai is truly an extraordinary woman, a fact reflected not only on the court but also in her attitude toward life and career.

On this trip to Yokohama, Japan, Zhang Shuai gained two significant achievements: guaranteeing her participation in the Australian Open women’s singles main draw next year and climbing back into the TOP90 singles rankings after a two-year gap, once again earning widespread admiration for the 36-year-old Chinese tennis star.

Many people feel deeply moved by Zhang Shuai’s tennis career revival. Some frankly admitted that when they saw her struggling through a 24-match losing streak in singles, stuck in a rut with no way out, they believed she might never recover and retirement seemed inevitable.

However, Zhang Shuai ultimately overturned many outsiders’ expectations! After shedding the embarrassing 24-match losing streak label at last year’s China Open, the veteran Chinese player rose like a phoenix from the ashes, bidding farewell to her previous struggles to win singles matches, with victories coming one after another. Especially entering the 2025 season, Zhang was determined to return to the TOP100; she finally fixed her singles ranking at 90, achieving her self-set goal of rejoining the TOP100, and earned $1.07 million in prize money this season.

“I am grateful that tennis taught me how to persist strongly against the wind and face challenges head-on. Success never comes overnight; it is a light you see only after enduring repeated hardships and persevering!” After fulfilling her promise to return to the TOP100, Zhang Shuai shared this heartfelt essay on her social media, revealing how she overcame adversity and soared against the odds. The sincere message deeply touched many and showed how formidable a focused Zhang Shuai truly is, seemingly capable of anything.

Additionally, in this essay, Zhang Shuai emphasized one point: her gratitude toward those who have always trusted and supported her.

Zhang pointed out that when her ranking dropped beyond TOP770 last year, some fans and netizens thought her singles career was over, even believing the US Open last year was her final Grand Slam singles appearance. Yet, the support and tolerance from others deeply moved her.

What Zhang wanted to express was that her current comeback and return to her cherished ranking range are certainly due to her own hard work and struggle, but also inseparable from the motivation given by fans and netizens — this achievement belongs to them as much as to her.

After achieving her goal in Yokohama, many thought Zhang Shuai would end her competitive journey, rest well, and prepare for the new season next year. However, Zhang immediately embarked on her next stop, ready to compete in the Angers 125-level tournament.

Many found Zhang’s decision hard to understand; anyone would be tired after playing so many matches, especially for a 36-year-old Chinese star. It’s obvious that the competition in Angers, with players like Parks, Ruddick, and Sermmez, is much tougher than in Yokohama, making back-to-back titles extremely challenging. Instead of pushing so hard, it would make more sense to rest and recover rather than continuously compete.

In fact, this has always been Zhang Shuai’s style. Around this time each year, unless there are special circumstances, she usually uses competitions as training to prepare for the new season, which has become a routine. So continuing to compete now is not surprising.

Moreover, regarding public questions about why she doesn’t withdraw from Angers to rest, Zhang responded with a meaningful phrase: “If you don’t work hard today, you’ll have to work hard to find a job tomorrow.” She does this simply to make herself “stronger.”

Once Zhang Shuai’s reason for not withdrawing from Angers was revealed, many praised her, saying “Sister Shuai really is like the girl or big sister next door; her words are so down-to-earth and resonate deeply with working people,” making the connection natural.

One netizen commented while applauding: “Even a millionaire like Sister Shuai is running hard, worried that if she doesn’t work hard, she’ll lose her job. If those who are better and wealthier than us are so driven and hardworking, then we working people have no excuse to slack off, or else tomorrow we’ll really have to work hard to find a job.”(Source: Tennis Home; Author: Starry Moon River)