Navarro's upset brings two major pieces of good news, with Zhang Shuai being called Zheng Qinwen's lucky charm after the match.

The lingering disappointment after Wu Yibing's loss was ultimately cured by Zhang Shuai's victory in Mérida!

China's top male player Wu Yibing lost to Italian Cobolli due to a physical crisis at a crucial moment, sparking a tidal wave of sighs. As everyone watched the contest between Zhang Shuai and American heiress Navarro, some openly prayed in the live stream, hoping Chinese players' defeats would end here—otherwise, it would be truly unbearable.

The fans' and netizens' inner cries were soon heard by Zhang Shuai! After facing a disastrous 1-4 start in the first set, the golden flower suddenly seemed injected with adrenaline, instantly extinguishing the flicker of joy that had just ignited in Navarro's heart. By winning five consecutive games, she achieved a stunning comeback, turning the set around 6-4 and shifting all pressure onto the American heiress!

Zhang Shuai's performance astonished many at the time. Some admitted that when they saw her trailing by such a large margin, they had already lost interest in continuing to watch, assuming she would likely share Wu Yibing's fate of defeat. "Unexpectedly, just after going to the bathroom to shake off the rising frustration, I returned to a completely different outcome—such a delightful surprise."

Despite being in an extremely unfavorable position in the first set, the Chinese golden flower still managed to stage a comeback against Navarro. Considering Zhang's two previous victories over the American heiress, support for her shifted dramatically at the start of the second set. Many believed that such a blow to Navarro would further highlight Zhang's psychological edge, firmly convinced that "Sister Shuai will undoubtedly have the last laugh."

Thus, even when Zhang Shuai was broken first in the second set, everyone's mindset was entirely different from the first set—not nervous at all. Some humorously remarked that it was merely giving Navarro an illusion of hope, as victory would ultimately "belong to our Sister Shuai."

Zhang Shuai proved to be in sync with her fans and netizens, quickly breaking Navarro twice to take the lead on the scoreboard.

When the golden flower reached the match's high point at 5-3, cheers erupted even before the contest ended. Ultimately, Zhang did not test anyone's nerves, sealing the second set 6-4, once again proving that experience prevails, handing Navarro a third consecutive defeat and advancing to the quarterfinals of the Mérida 500 tournament.

With four wins from qualifying to the main draw in Mérida, Zhang Shuai's ranking soared by 20 spots to No. 66, securing a main-draw spot in the upcoming Indian Wells 1000 event, sparing her the grind through qualifying rounds.

Another piece of good news for Zhang Shuai: her original potential quarterfinal opponent, eighth seed Linette, was upset, meaning her opponent became qualifier Kasintseva—suddenly boosting the golden flower's hopes of reaching the semifinals at this 500-level tournament.

After defeating Navarro, netizens quickly noticed another interesting fact: Zhang Shuai once again acted as Zheng Qinwen's "benefactor."

Navarro was last year's Mérida 500 champion. After being defeated by Zhang Shuai and failing to defend her title, her ranking dropped to No. 24, thereby lifting the inactive Zheng Qinwen one spot to No. 23.

Netizens' certainty about Zhang being Zheng's "benefactor" is also linked to another incident!

In 2024, Zheng Qinwen and Navarro were locked in a fierce battle for a WTA Finals berth. It was Zhang Shuai who, in the first round of the China Open, knocked out the American heiress, indirectly helping the Chinese top sister surpass Navarro in the race points and laying the groundwork for her eventual last-minute qualification.

Now Zhang Shuai has again assisted Zheng Qinwen in improving her ranking, bringing her closer to returning to the Top 20. Some remarked, "If Sister Shuai weren't the top sister's benefactor, how could such a coincidence occur—twice beating Navarro, with Little Zheng being the beneficiary both times!"

After the match, fans and netizens brainstormed reasons for Zhang Shuai's triple victory over Navarro, crediting her new apparel sponsor's auspicious influence—the bright red, festive battle gear made Sister Shuai blaze like flames on the court, unstoppable wherever she went.

When asked about this, Zhang Shuai admitted she didn't know the reason either, as she hadn't done anything particularly special. "Perhaps I like her playing style, while she doesn't like mine."

Of course, the golden flower also emphasized the importance of focusing on her own game, which led to playing better and better—likely the key to "coming back from being down 1-4 in the first set and 1-3 in the second."(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River's Starry Sky)