Wang Xinyu reached the semifinals with two matches in one day, bringing some good news—could her first career title finally be within reach?

It is often said that good luck favors hardworking and determined young women, and Wang Xinyu’s experience at the Cleveland 250 tournament seems to be the best proof of this!

After being defeated early in Cincinnati by Gauff, who got her revenge, Wang Xinyu’s move to the Cleveland 250 event raised many hopes.

Before Wang Xinyu even officially appeared on court, many predicted that with few top contenders present, she had an excellent chance to challenge for her first career title in Cleveland. Looking at the draw, the biggest rival was only the top seed, Russian Samsonova. As long as China’s second-ranked player remained steady and didn’t falter, she could get closer to this goal, and winning the title would not be an unrealistic dream.

Wang Xinyu’s performance did not disappoint! Especially after enduring the challenge of playing two matches in one day, she earned even more praise and growing confidence from everyone.

In the round of 16 against Australian Gibson, after the first two sets were tied, rain delays caused the match to be postponed. Before resuming, many worried about Wang Xinyu for two reasons: first, whether she could quickly regain her rhythm and touch after the break and push swiftly toward victory; second, whether she could handle the pressure of playing two matches in one day to advance to the quarterfinals.

When the match against Gibson resumed, Wang Xinyu unleashed her full power, and her form and touch showed no signs of being affected by the delay, easing the first concern of fans and viewers. After a swift 6-3 win to reach the quarterfinals of this 250 event, some said it was good she avoided a tough battle and that they could watch the match with peace of mind.

After a few hours of rest, Wang Xinyu regrouped and stepped back onto the court to face Swiss player Grubisic, competing for a spot in the semifinals.

This key match also alleviated the second concern from outsiders because Grubisic, like Wang, was playing two matches in one day, making the contest very fair. Moreover, Wang had a slight advantage since the Swiss player had less rest time, which made fans feel even more confident about Wang Xinyu.

It was expected that Wang Xinyu would use her slight fitness edge to take the initiative, but surprisingly, she started off slow and was on the back foot in the first set. Her form did not improve much, and after being drawn into her opponent’s comfort zone, she quickly lost the first set 4-6.

Although Wang’s form improved in the second set, when she was broken first in the third game, it heightened the tension in the live broadcast. Fortunately, she quickly broke back and took control of the match, finally winning the second set 6-4 to even the score.

The final set played out almost identically to the second! As the two players exchanged breaks and counter-breaks, viewers joked that these two were being too polite, as if neither wanted to deliver a decisive blow to end the match.

Before the joke finished, Wang Xinyu became the first to stabilize her game, gaining the upper hand. When she sealed the match with a 6-4 win in the final set, fans and viewers in the chat expressed relief and admiration, saying the hard-fought victory was well deserved and “Wang’s win was far from easy.”

After reaching the Cleveland semifinals, with top seed Samsonova upset earlier, many saw this as a major advantage for Wang Xinyu, confidently stating that China’s second-ranked player’s first career title would likely come at this 250 event—provided she seizes the opportunity.

This marks Wang Xinyu’s fourth semifinal appearance this season on the tour. Previously, she reached the semifinals in Singapore, Berlin, and Prague, advancing to the final only in Berlin, where she narrowly lost to Vondrousova, missing out on the title.

Considering Wang’s semifinal opponent is An Li, many believe China’s second-ranked player has a strong chance to reach the final. If Wang makes it through, her chances of winning the title will significantly increase.

The reason for such high expectations is reflected in a phrase from the WTA official report: “China’s Wang displayed remarkable resilience.”

This praise is widely recognized because it was clearly demonstrated during Wang’s two matches in one day, combined with her current confidence and form, making the positive outlook well justified.

Of course, Wang must now take time to rest and recover her energy fully to prepare for upcoming matches, so she can fulfill expectations. After the match, Wang admitted, “It was an extremely tough day, playing two matches—I’m a bit tired.”(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River Starry Sky)