Zhu Lin pointed out her most satisfying aspect after the match loss, declaring a new goal to break into the TOP 200 in the American season.

After her hard-fought three-set loss to the Spanish player Manero, the outcome of the match left many fans and netizens feeling unsettled, with some openly expressing that the loss was particularly disheartening.

If the first set's 5-7 loss was possibly influenced by rain interruptions, which are beyond one's control, then Zhu Lin's score in the second set, which seemed like a "freebie," indicated that winning against Manero should have been quite straightforward.

However, in the decisive third set, Zhu Lin collapsed at a crucial moment, and one can only imagine the reactions of everyone involved.

From the discussions surrounding Zhu Lin's loss, it appears that nearly everyone believes the reason for the former China's second-ranked player struggling for over two hours ultimately stems from her inability to convert break points in two service games, which led to her being broken by Manero and gradually losing sight of victory.

Some have suggested that if Zhu Lin had maintained a more resilient mindset and played with greater aggression, rather than aiming for success in Manero's service games, she could have at least held onto her own service games, keeping her chances of reaching the quarterfinals alive. The reasoning is that as a young player born in the 2000s, Manero might lose patience and become anxious during a close match, and this was particularly evident in the first and second sets. If Zhu Lin had fully utilized her grinding skills, opportunities would have naturally arisen.

To be precise, it’s not that Zhu Lin didn’t want to do this; having the opportunity to be so close to the quarterfinals of a 1000 event, she wanted that ticket more than anyone else to achieve her best career performance in a 1000 event. However, physical issues at critical moments left her with the desire but unable to execute effectively.

Although losing in this manner was hard for some fans and netizens to accept, and they criticized Zhu Lin for faltering at crucial moments, viewing it as a poor performance from the former second-ranked player in China, Zhu Lin's thoughts post-match were completely different. She did not feel her performance was lacking, even directly pointing out the aspects of the match she was most satisfied with.

"What I'm satisfied with is that I managed to push the match into the deciding set, but I wasn't decisive enough on the key points." From Zhu Lin's perspective, reaching the round of 16 in Monte Carlo was already a significant surprise, especially against a powerful player like Manero. She did not get eliminated in two sets but extended the match to three, which she believed was a commendable achievement and met her pre-match expectations.

Zhu Lin's statement was not an excuse for her loss, nor did it reflect a lack of ambition; the underlying reason relates to her battling through injuries.

"The best way to address the elbow ligament injury is through surgery. However, considering my age, the recovery time would be quite long, and I felt it might not be the best choice. Therefore, I opted for a more conservative treatment since I’m not at the point where I can’t play at all." Zhu Lin revealed this after the match, making it clear to everyone that she had been competing with an injury in Montreal. Under such circumstances, reaching the round of 16 in this 1000 event is truly commendable.

Additionally, when discussing her future competition plans, Zhu Lin clearly expressed that she was not satisfied with her round of 16 finish in Montreal. Instead, she hopes to perform excellently in other major events, directly stating her new goal to break into the TOP 200 during the American season.

With the 120 points earned from reaching the round of 16 in Montreal, Zhu Lin's current world ranking has risen to 304. From this position, it is evident that she still has a considerable distance to cover to achieve her stated goal of breaking into the TOP 200. This also means that if Zhu Lin wants to reach her goal of being ranked within the top 200 after the US Open, she cannot afford to exit early in upcoming matches, and her results must not fall below the round of 16 performance in Montreal. Otherwise, achieving this goal may require continued effort during the Chinese season.

So, can Zhu Lin's ambitious goal of breaking into the TOP 200 during the American season be realized? There is hope!

When Zhu Lin returned to competition in April this year, she had been absent from the court for so long due to injury that her ranking had dropped outside the top 500. Now, in just a few months, she has managed to elevate her ranking to 304, demonstrating her motivation and resilience. More importantly, Zhu Lin has great confidence in herself; as she puts it, "When I stand on the court, I believe I can win."

Such a Zhu Lin is undoubtedly worthy of trust!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River's Starry Sky)