In a display of resilience and determination, China's Wang Xiyu has surged into the women's singles last 16 at the French Open for the first time in her professional career. Her milestone achievement came following a hard-fought 6-3, 7-5 victory over Ukraine's Yuliia Starodubtseva this past Friday in Paris.
The match on Court 7 began as a challenge for the 25-year-old, who found herself trailing 0-3 in the opening set. However, Wang demonstrated remarkable mental toughness, quickly regaining her composure to break Starodubtseva in the fourth game. From there, she dominated the set, reeling off six consecutive games to claim a 6-3 win.
The second set was a more balanced affair, with neither player able to establish a definitive lead. Wang's steady nerves proved decisive in the closing stages; she secured a crucial break late in the set before serving out the 7-5 victory to book her place in the fourth round.
Currently ranked No. 148 in the world, Wang entered the tournament as one of the lower-seeded players in the main draw. Her journey to the last 16 marks the best Grand Slam result of her career and cements her position as the only Chinese player remaining in the singles draw at this year's Roland Garros.
Wang's path to the fourth round has been one of historic firsts. Earlier in the week, she reached the third round at Roland Garros for the first time. This followed a second-round encounter where American 26th seed Hailey Baptiste was forced to retire due to a knee injury during the first set on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
The victory was particularly significant given the form of her opponent. Starodubtseva had entered the third round with immense momentum after scoring one of the tournament's biggest upsets, rallying from a set down to eliminate world No. 2 Elena Rybakina.
This breakthrough campaign is a testament to Wang's perseverance. A former US Open girls' singles champion in 2018, the left-hander has spent recent seasons fighting back from injuries and ranking setbacks. As she prepares for the fourth round, Wang Xiyu stands as a symbol of tenacity on the global stage of tennis.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
