China's Wang Xiyu saw her most successful Grand Slam campaign to date come to a close at Roland Garros this past Sunday. In a hard-fought women's singles fourth-round encounter, Wang fell to Romania's Sorana Cirstea with a score of 6-3, 7-6(4).
The defeat marks the end of a remarkable trajectory for the 25-year-old, who fought through the qualifying rounds to reach the last 16 of a major for the first time in her professional career. Wang's resilience stood out in Paris this year, as she was the sole Chinese player to advance beyond the second round of the women's singles draw.
The match, held on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, began with Cirstea asserting her dominance. The experienced Romanian utilized aggressive baseline play and a potent serve to quickly seize control, racing to a 5-1 lead before closing the opening set 6-3.
However, the second set showcased Wang's tenacity. The Chinese left-hander shifted her strategy, introducing more variety and challenging Cirstea in grueling baseline rallies. Despite trailing 5-2, Wang mounted a spirited comeback, winning four consecutive games to push the set toward a deciding tiebreak.
In the final moments, Cirstea's veteran experience proved decisive. She held her nerve to level the set at 6-6 and ultimately claimed the tiebreak, sealing the victory after one hour and 55 minutes of play. While the run has ended, Wang's performance in 2026 signals a rising presence for Chinese tennis on the global stage.
Reference(s):
Sorana Cirstea ends Wang Xiyu's breakthrough run at French Open
cgtn.com
