Tennis fans, get ready for an exciting breakthrough! The 23-year-old Chinese qualifier, Wang Xinyu, has powered her way into the semifinals at the WTA Berlin Open, making her debut on grass courts.
Her match against Spain's World No. 10 Paula Badosa turned dramatic when Badosa retired early due to a right hip injury while trailing 6-1. Although this was a rematch of their earlier Australian Open encounter—which Wang lost—she bounced back with a dominant performance, breaking Badosa three times in the first set.
Wang's journey has been nothing short of amazing! From battling through two rounds of qualifying to shocking tennis heavyweights like two-time Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur and World No. 16 Daria Kasatkina, she made a statement. The highlight? Her impressive double win against the newly crowned French Open champion and World No. 2 Coco Gauff, winning 6-3, 6-3. This marked her first-ever victory against a Top 2 player!
In her own words, "Playing in the qualifiers is definitely an advantage. Getting more matches, especially as we transition from clay to grass, is crucial. Winning builds confidence and helps me adapt to the surface faster." Her journey resonates with the spirit of hustle seen in tech startups and cultural innovations across South and Southeast Asia. Keep an eye out as she faces Russia's Liudmila Samsonova next in the semifinals! ⚡🎾
Reference(s):
China's Wang Xinyu powers into semifinals at WTA Berlin Open
cgtn.com