China’s rising tennis star, Wei Sijia, is on the cusp of a significant milestone after securing a spot in the final round of the Australian Open qualifying tournament. The 21-year-old showcased her skill and determination on Wednesday, defeating Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch in straight sets.
Ranked World No. 119, Wei commanded the court with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Korpatsch in a match that lasted one hour and 18 minutes. This win propels her just one step away from entering the main draw of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career. Standing between Wei and this achievement is Serbian player Nina Stojanovic, World No. 237, whom she will face on Thursday.
Wei’s performance was marked by impressive statistics, winning 63% of her service points compared to Korpatsch’s 49%. She also outpaced her opponent with 20 winners to Korpatsch’s 10, demonstrating her aggressive play and precision on the court.
This marks the second consecutive year that Wei has reached the third qualifying round at the Australian Open, following her near miss in 2024. With experience and momentum on her side, she aims to capitalize on this opportunity to break into the Grand Slam arena.
In other matches, China’s Gao Xinyu faced a tough battle against Croatian veteran Petra Martic. Despite a strong start and leading the deciding set 2-0, Gao was edged out in a grueling three-set match, concluding at 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 after two hours and 38 minutes.
Gao, who recently achieved a career-high ranking of No. 146 after leading China to the quarterfinals at the United Cup, showed resilience but ultimately couldn’t hold off the experienced Martic. The 16th seed leveled the final set at 2-2, then secured a crucial break at 4-4 to serve out the match.
Wei’s upcoming match is highly anticipated by fans and analysts alike, as she stands on the verge of joining the main draw and representing China on one of tennis’s grandest stages. Her progress signals a promising future for Chinese tennis on the global circuit.
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China's Wei Sijia reaches final round of Australian Open qualifying
cgtn.com
