Wang Xinyu caused a major stir by refusing to shake hands, shocking public opinion, with netizens backing the "Saiyou" sisters on this matter.

Following the Australian Open, Wang Xinyu competed at the Cluj-Napoca 250 event, and the controversy erupted due to her partner Zheng Saisai refusing to shake hands with the referee after winning.

Although many doubted the doubles team of Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai, even joking that their partnership often drained their energy unnecessarily, they once again competed as the "Saiyou" duo at Cluj-Napoca 250, seemingly aiming to redeem themselves after an early exit at the Australian Open doubles.

However, when Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai drew the top-seeded pair, Erić and Pęk, in the first round, most people immediately thought the "Saiyou" team was likely headed for a quick exit.

Yet, Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai truly impressed everyone by overturning the match after losing the first set, winning two consecutive sets to upset the top seeds, creating the biggest upset in the doubles first round at the Cluj-Napoca 250 tournament.

Surprisingly, after the match, although it would have been customary for Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai to shake hands with the referee following the handshake with their opponents, they instead walked away, leaving the referee standing alone, which shocked many and left people wondering what had happened.

This incident originated from a controversial call during a critical point in the deciding-set tiebreak, which deeply upset Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai, leading to this small but notable episode.

Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai were already underestimated before the match, and drawing the top seeds in the first round was seen by fans and netizens as "bad luck hitting early," adding significant pressure on the pair.

Moreover, after losing the first set, the sisters managed to win the second to even the score and relieve some pressure. During the tense deciding-set tiebreak, when the "Saiyou" duo led 9-7 with two match points and were fiercely battling their opponents, the referee suddenly called a stop, ruling that Wang Xinyu’s saved ball had bounced twice.

At this critical moment affecting the match outcome, Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai immediately approached the referee to argue, but since no challenge was allowed, they had no choice but to accept the ruling and watch helplessly as the point was awarded against them.

Fortunately, this frustrating call did not affect the "Saiyou" duo’s spirit or momentum; they ultimately secured victory on the second match point, causing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief.

At the moment of victory, Zheng Saisai notably clenched her fist in protest toward the referee, expressing her dissatisfaction, which then led to the post-match controversy where they refused to shake hands with the umpire, shaking public opinion.

Many fans and netizens sided with Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai in the aftermath, believing their actions were justified. They saw this as the proper attitude for players facing injustice on court — to protest rather than silently endure, or else they risk being seen as weak and repeatedly mistreated.

The widespread support for Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai is partly linked to the similar experience of Han Xinyun in the past.

In 2022, Han Xinyun, partnered with Grubusic, also faced controversial umpiring at the same Cluj-Napoca doubles court.

Back then, Han Xinyun’s team advanced to the doubles final and even reached match point in the tiebreak, but the umpire ignored an opponent’s out-of-bounds shot, causing them to lose and miss out on the doubles title they were close to winning.

Because of this previous incident, when Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai faced unfair treatment at match point this time, it instantly reminded many fans of that moment four years ago. While sympathizing with Han Xinyun and Grubusic’s past injustice, they emphasized that Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai were right to openly express their strong dissatisfaction to make referees more cautious and help prevent similar issues, effectively standing up for others as well.

Although Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai avoided the fate of Han Xinyun’s team by ultimately winning, some fans still compared them to a "second tough Zhang Shuai."

In 2023, Zhang Shuai caused a sensation at the Budapest 250 tournament when she protested a questionable line call by withdrawing from the match after an unsuccessful appeal, making headlines in the tennis community.

Now, after Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai stood up against unfairness, fans and netizens praise them as embodying Zhang Shuai’s spirit of boldly voicing injustice encountered on the road, defending themselves while sending a warning that referees must officiate fairly to earn respect.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moonriver’s Starry Sky)