Suzan Lamens, the highest-ranked Dutch female tennis player, was left stunned by Zhu Lin, the world number 493, after suffering a shocking straight-sets loss in the round of 32 of the WTA Masters tournament in Montreal: 6-2, 6-2.
Lamens was on an impressive run in Montreal, eliminating Polina Kudermetova before knocking out 18th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in three sets. In the third round, Lamens was set to meet 31-year-old Chinese player Zhu Lin, the number 493 of the WTA rankings, who beat Varvara Gracheva and Ekaterina Alexandrova in the first two rounds.
Zhu Lin started furiously in Montreal, breaking Lamens on her first break point of the set in the Dutchwoman’s second service game. A rebreak from Lamens met a likewise response from Zhu Lin, who squandered just one break point in the remainder of the first set, which the Chinese phenom won after breaking Lamens a final time in her fourth service game.
The second set played out like a carbon copy of the first set, with Zhu Lin breaking Lamens in the third game of the set. Lamens replied with a break of her own, but Zhu Lin finished the job with expert efficiency, taking full advantage of all three break points en route to another 6-2 set win.
Zhu Lin, who recorded her first top-20 win since 2023 by beating Alexandrova in the second round, broke into the fourth round in Montreal, where she will face Jessica Bouzas Maneiro or Aoi Ito.
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