Ostapenko endures a dark day in Toronto: double faults, medical timeout, no games won
Latvia's Alona Ostapenko lost 0:6, 0:4 to China's Zhang Shuai in the second round of the WTA 1000 event in Toronto and then retired. She failed to win a single game in her first match after nearly a month off and after winning the Wimbledon mixed doubles title.
Alona Ostapenko, Latvia's top tennis player and world No. 29, suffered a quick and painful loss at the WTA 1000 tournament in Toronto. In the second round, she was beaten by China's Zhang Shuai, a player she previously partnered with in doubles, with the score 0:6, 0:4. Ostapenko then retired from the match.
It was her first match in nearly a month, following her victory in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon. The Toronto match, however, turned out to be a complete disappointment. It lasted less than an hour and Ostapenko failed to win a single game. During the match, she also had difficulties with her serve, hitting double faults, and she requested a medical timeout. After that, she was unable to continue effectively and decided to withdraw.
The second-round match was actually Ostapenko's opening match in this tournament. Her opponent, Zhang Shuai, dominated from the start and never allowed the Latvian to find her rhythm. Ostapenko, who is the highest-ranked player from Latvia, now leaves Toronto without securing a spot in the next round. This early exit is a setback after her recent Grand Slam success in the mixed doubles category.
