In an exciting turn of events at Wimbledon, China’s Zhang Shuai and El Salvador’s Marcelo Arevalo have advanced to the mixed doubles semifinals after defeating the two-time defending champions, Desirae Krawczyk of the United States and Britain’s Neal Skupski, with a score of 7-5, 7-6(7) on Monday.
Krawczyk and Skupski, who claimed the Wimbledon mixed doubles titles in both 2021 and 2022, had previously bested Zhang and Arevalo in the quarterfinals of last year’s French Open. This victory marks a significant comeback for Zhang and Arevalo against the formidable duo.
The match was intense from the start, with both pairs holding their serves across the first 11 games. Zhang and Arevalo then broke through with a love game in the 12th, clinching the first set. Building on their momentum, they secured an early break in the second set to lead 4-1.
However, the defending champions didn’t go down without a fight. Krawczyk and Skupski rallied to level the set and force a tiebreak. Zhang and Arevalo faced tense moments as they squandered two match points but ultimately prevailed with a 9-7 win in the tiebreaker.
With this victory, Zhang and Arevalo have booked their place in the semifinals, where they will face Joe Salisbury of Great Britain and Luisa Stefani of Brazil on Tuesday. The pair is eager to continue their impressive run and make their mark at the prestigious tournament.
The mixed doubles semifinals promise to deliver more thrilling tennis action as all teams vie for a coveted spot in the Wimbledon finals.
