China's Wang Xinyu faced a tough start at the Italian Open in Rome on Wednesday, falling 6-3, 6-2 to Russian qualifier Kamilla Rakhimova in the women's singles first round. Originally scheduled to play 2019 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, Wang instead confronted Rakhimova after the Czech athlete withdrew due to a shoulder injury.
The match marked a reversal of fortunes for the two players, who last met in January during Adelaide International qualifiers, where Wang secured victory. This time, Rakhimova dominated play, breaking Wang’s serve early in both sets and maintaining consistent pressure throughout the 92-minute contest.
After exchanging breaks in the opening games, Wang struggled to regain momentum as Rakhimova secured four consecutive games to close the first set. The second set followed a similar pattern, with the Russian player converting crucial break points in the third and fifth games before sealing the match with a confident service hold.
Rakhimova advances to face 10th-seeded American Emma Navarro in the second round. Wang’s exit highlights the competitive challenges facing Chinese players on the WTA Tour as the clay-court season intensifies.
