The amazing pattern reappears; whenever facing Schneider, they must battle for three sets, and Yuan Yue is bound to win.

It is common knowledge that tennis tournaments can be quite lengthy, leading to frequent encounters between players. However, there are two players who, every time they face each other, end up in a deciding set, with one consistently coming out on top. So, who are these players? What is going on here? Let’s delve into this in today’s article.

In January 2022, Wang Xinyu, Wang Xiyu, and Zheng Qinwen all achieved their first Grand Slam main draw victories at the Australian Open. Since then, these three players have become the mainstays of Chinese women's tennis. In the same year, Yuan Yue began her journey at the US Open qualifying rounds, achieving five consecutive victories and reaching the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career.

In early October of the same year, she appeared at the Las Vegas Challenger, where she made it to the finals after winning four matches in a row. At that time, her opponent was the Russian player Schneider. In this match, Schneider, who had recently won the US Open junior doubles title, took the lead. However, in the subsequent matches, Yuan Yue rallied back to win two sets in a row, claiming her second Challenger title of the 2022 season. That year, Yuan Yue broke into the TOP 100 in the world rankings for the first time.

In early January 2024, Yuan Yue and Schneider, both having reached their first tour finals in their careers, faced off in the qualifying rounds of the WTA 250 Hobart International. This time, Yuan Yue took the lead, putting herself in a favorable position to advance. However, the resilient Schneider won the second set, pushing the match to a deciding set. In the final set, with the score tied, Yuan Yue broke her opponent's serve and seized the opportunity, securing victory. After this win, Yuan Yue achieved four consecutive victories, reaching the semifinals of a tour event for the first time in the 2024 season.

In early June, the two met for the third time at the WTA 250 's-Hertogenbosch tournament. By this point, both players had recently claimed their first tour titles, marking a significant breakthrough in their careers. In the first set, Schneider took the lead. However, in the following matches, Yuan Yue turned the tables, winning two sets in a row and achieving her third victory over Schneider.

In the early hours of today, Yuan Yue and Schneider faced each other for the fourth time in the second round of the WTA 1000 Cincinnati event. Schneider, who has won four tour titles, has seen her world ranking rise into the TOP 20, while Yuan Yue struggles to maintain her position in the TOP 100. Despite the disparity in rankings, Yuan Yue started strong, scoring consecutively to win the first set 6-4, gaining an advantage to progress. Schneider was not one to give up easily, winning the second set and bringing the match to a deciding set, putting both players back on equal footing.

In the final set, perhaps due to her previous three victories over Schneider, Yuan Yue played with remarkable aggression, scoring repeatedly and ultimately finishing the match with a score of 6-3. Interestingly, despite having defeated Schneider four times, every match has gone to a deciding set, highlighting Schneider's formidable skills. And that’s the tennis story for today; more to come tomorrow.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Yixin Jushi)