China's Zhang Shuai fails to reach Wimbledon semifinals

LONDON - Zhang Shuai of China failed to reach the semifinals at Wimbledon on Tuesday, being defeated by seventh-seeded Simona Halep of Romania 7-6, 6-1.

Zhang advanced into the last eight after beating Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 on super Monday. This outing at Wimbledon is Zhang's personal best in Grand Slams.

"It's amazing to reach the quarterfinals. My desire for victory has not changed. I have become very mature on the back of these successes and failures," Zhang said.

Before Wimbledon, Zhang practiced on grass courts for three weeks rather than returning to China. Zhang has admitted that she does not favor grass courts in the past, but managed to get her personal best at Wimbledon nonetheless.

Zhang had been stopped five times in the first round at All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club since 2011. She was stopped in the 2nd round of the French Open this May.

"Nobody expected me to win at Wimbledon, but I made it this far," said Zhang.

It also comes after Zhang made a breakthrough early this year at the Australian Open when she teamed up with Samantha Stosur of Australia to win the women's doubles, her first Grand Slam title.

Before her victory against Zhang, Halep advanced by defeating 15-year-old rising star Coco Gauff of the United States 6-3, 6-3 on Monday. Gauff defeated Venus Williams in the 1st round and former quarterfinalist Magdalena Rybarikova from Slovakia in the 2nd round.