Gao creates a surprise against Haddad Maia during the United Cup; China triumphs over Brazil

Gao 0 against Brazil in the opening match of the Group E qualifying phase.

This epic match, which lasted three hours and 22 minutes, is now the longest singles clash in WTA tournament history. It also stands out from the success of Zhang Zhizhen, who dominated Thiago Monteiro 6-3, 6-0, allowing China to win the match. Zhang, currently ranked 45th at the ATP level, finished the match in just 54 minutes, improving his record against him to 2-0.

During Gao’s superb comeback, both players also had to battle physical issues. Gao called a medical timeout in the second set, resuming play with her left thigh heavily bandaged, while the 27-year-old Brazilian showed signs of pain at several points. Haddad Maia suffered cramps while serving at 4-3 in the deciding set, resorting to several spin serves, before finally giving up her serve.

However, both players put on a captivating show for the spectators at the RAC Arena. Gao, ranked 175th, replacing Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen, had only one victory on the circuit until then, and it was her first meeting with a Top 50 opponent. Her only previous victory was a Top 100 player dates back to 2017, against Veronica Cepede Royg during qualifying for the same event in Beijing.

Although she had less experience, Gao was able to compete with Haddad Maia, ranked 17th, throughout the match, achieving the best victory of her career.

“I don’t know what’s going on right now,” Gao said into the microphone, visibly overcome with emotion. “My mind was blank and my whole body was cramping. »

Although Haddad Maia took the upper hand from the start by breaking his opponent’s serve, Gao then found his game, stringing together three clean winners to equalize at 5-5. She even had two opportunities to push the set to a tiebreak, but the Brazilian reacted by serving four times in a row, allowing her to win the first set on the wire.

Gao’s strategies were decisive in the second set where she managed to unbalance Haddad Maia with tight angles and high forehands, thus restarting the rallies before choosing the right moment to attack. Yet as the match headed into the deciding set, Haddad Maia appeared to have a slight physical advantage until cramps disrupted her during a tense eighth game.

After a slight improvement in her mobility in the next game, Gao was not ready to give up. At 30-30 in the final game, she challenged Haddad Maia, who was trying to approach the net, by making a superb lob. She sealed her victory when Haddad Maia sent her forehand out of bounds. This success is all the more precious for a player recalling her intense marathon of 4 hours and 15 minutes lost against Sara Sorribes Tormo in Beijing, a match which is among the longest of the Open era.

“Yes, I was thinking about that China Open match,” Gao explained. “After that Open, I played many matches and lost in the last set. I had a lot of opportunities, but I didn’t take them. So today, playing the last set, I said to myself: ‘Not again.’ It was like, ‘Please let me win once, at least.’ »

Zhang then ended China’s campaign in this United Cup. The Chinese number one on the ATP Tour showed perfect dominance, winning 87% (26/30) of his service points, according to ATP statistics.

This inaugural victory for China portends great promise for the country during this edition of the United Cup. In 2024, Zhang and Zheng, ranked 5th in the WTA, led China to the quarter-finals. However, with reigning champions Germany looming in their group this year, winning against Brazil could be key to repeating that performance.

In the mixed doubles, Zhang Shuai and Zhang Zhizhen joined forces to triumph over Carolina Alves and Rafael Matos, 6-4, 7-5, completing a crushing 3-0 victory for China.