Wang Xiaoer during the New Year, Wang Xiyu's performance in the Guangzhou Tour has declined year by year.

Many tennis fans know Chinese female player Wang Xiyu well. Back in 2018, she won six straight matches at the US Open junior tournament, securing the title and becoming the first Chinese female to claim a junior Grand Slam singles championship. Yet, on a different stage, Wang Xiyu’s results have been described as "Wang Xiaoer’s New Year — declining year after year." So what’s the story behind this? Let this article guide you through it.

In May 2023, Wang Xiyu won three consecutive matches at the WTA1000 Rome event, reaching the round of 16 in a WTA1000 tournament for the first time in her career. In mid-September, she competed at the WTA250 Guangzhou Open. In the first round, Wang Xiyu defeated Argentine player Podoroska, who had previously reached a Grand Slam semifinal, advancing smoothly; in the second round, she won in straight sets against Russian player Schneider to progress further. Notably, this was Wang Xiyu’s first time reaching the quarterfinals of a tour event in the 2023 season.

In the quarterfinals, she battled through three sets to defeat lucky loser and Slovenian player Hercog, advancing with difficulty; in the semifinals, Wang Xiyu dominated Belgian player Minnen, reaching her first tour final in her career; in the final, facing top seed and Polish player Linette, she performed exceptionally well, conceding only two games throughout the match and winning her first-ever tour title. At that time, her world ranking was 88.

At the end of February last season, Wang Xiyu consecutively defeated Argentine Podoroska, Latvian Seimenistaya, American Collins, and Ukrainian Kalinina at the WTA250 Austin Open, reaching her second tour final. Unfortunately, she lost the final to compatriot Yuan Yue, finishing as runner-up. It’s worth mentioning that this was Yuan Yue’s first tour title in her career.

In late October that year, as the defending champion, Wang Xiyu appeared at the WTA250 Guangzhou Open. In the first round, she easily defeated Dutch player Rus to advance; in the second round, in an all-Chinese derby, despite losing the first set, Wang Xiyu came back to win two straight sets against Wei Shijia, continuing her winning streak at the Guangzhou Open. Sadly, in the quarterfinals, she was swept by Italian player Bronzetti, ending her title defense abruptly. At that time, Wang Xiyu’s world ranking had dropped to 99.

This season, although Wang Xiyu achieved a five-match winning streak and claimed the title at the Lexington Challenger in late July, her world ranking still dropped significantly, falling outside the top 100. This week, she entered the WTA250 Guangzhou Open with a wildcard. In the first round, Wang Xiyu swept the seventh seed, F.-Jones, to advance; in the second round, her opponent was Italian player Cocciaretto.

In the first set, both players held their service games through the first six games, keeping the score close. Starting from the seventh game, Cocciaretto suddenly raised her level, using more precise shot placement and stronger offense to hold serve, break, and hold again, winning three consecutive games to take the set 6–3.

In the second set, Wang Xiyu adjusted her tactics and launched a fierce attack from the start, holding serve, breaking back, and holding again to take the lead. Afterwards, both players maintained their service games with the score exchanging incrementally. At a crucial moment, Wang capitalized on her opponent’s error to break serve and won the set 6–2, pushing the match into a deciding set.

In the final set, despite trailing in the score, Wang Xiyu fought back, breaking serve twice and holding once to take the lead. However, Cocciaretto, showing strong mental resilience and tactical flexibility, launched a series of attacks, breaking serve three times in a row, winning five consecutive games, and ultimately claiming the match victory. Wang was unable to maintain her advantage and suffered a disappointing loss. By then, her world ranking had fallen to 163.

From winning the Guangzhou Open title, to reaching the quarterfinals there, to an early exit in the second round, Wang Xiyu’s results at the WTA250 Guangzhou Open have steadily declined. Whether she can reverse this downward trend in the future remains a point of interest. That’s today’s tennis story; more to come tomorrow.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Yixin Jushi)