Zhang Shuai continues worst losing streak in tennis history with 24th straight loss at Korea Open

Zhang Shuai's struggles in singles competition continue as she suffers a 24th consecutive first-round defeat. She suffered her most recent setback earlier today at the Korea Open against Veronika Kudermetova.

Shuai's troubles on the WTA tour over the last couple of years have been evident and have culminated in her winning just a handful of matches. Her last win in fact dates back to as long back as 31 January 2023, when she beat Madison Brengle in the first round of the Lyon Open.

The 35-year-old Chinese veteran has since lost a record 24 matches in a row and has even managed to etch her name in the record books for the wrong reason.

With her 22nd-second straight loss that she suffered earlier this year in Cincinnati to Diana Shnaider, Shuai claimed the record for the longest-ever losing streak in the Open Era of tennis.

Shuai has since lost in the first round of the US Open to Ashlyn Krueger, despite winning the first set 6-0, and has now lost in the first round of the Korea Open earlier today to Veronika Kudermetova in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, in an hour and 26 minutes.

Former American ATP professional, Vincent Spadea previously held the record for the longest losing streak of 21 consecutive defeats, which spanned from October 1999 to June 2000. He famously ended his streak with a five-set victory at the 2000 Wimbledon Championships.

Shuai's defeat in Seoul means she is now 0-8 in singles matches on the WTA tour this year.

Zhang Shuai tastes doubles success this year despite the slump in singles

Shuai Zhang and Kristina Mladenovic celebrate their runner-up trophy at the 2024 US Open (Picture: Getty)

Zhang Shuai has tasted plenty of success in doubles this year, in stark contrast to her poor singles record. Earlier this month, she reached her fourth Grand Slam doubles final at the US Open alongside Kristina Mladenovic.

It was her first since the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, where Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova defeated her and Elise Mertens.

The Chinese-French duo, with a combined total of eight Grand Slam women’s doubles titles, defeated second seeds Elise Mertens and Su-wei Hsieh, fifth seeds Ellen Perez and Nicole Melichar-Martinez, and third seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend en route to the finals where they fell to seventh seeds Jelena Ostapenko and Lyudmyla Kichenok.

Shuai also reached the finals of the Birmingham Classic alongside Miyo Kato earlier this year, going down to the top seeds Mertens and Hsieh in the final.

Other notable results include a trio of semifinal finishes in Stuttgart, Nottingham, and Palermo.