Losing the first set is nothing to fear; rising from adversity to showcase heroism, Ma Yexin staged a stunning comeback to reach the final.

As everyone knows, women's matches are won by the player who first secures two sets. This rule generally allows the player who wins the initial set to naturally claim the match victory. Yet, exceptions do exist.

Indeed, this week a competitor lost the first set but managed a remarkable comeback to defeat her opponent and reach a new breakthrough in her professional journey. Who is this player, and what breakthrough did she achieve? Let this article guide you through the story.

This player is Chinese athlete Ma Yexin. Last season, she achieved victories in both Grand Slam qualifiers and tour events, marking a new high in her career. However, towards the end of last season, due to various reasons, Ma Yexin suffered a five-match losing streak, causing her to drop out of the second-tier elite group of Chinese female players.

This season, in early April, Ma Yexin’s performance was less than satisfactory, having only reached the quarterfinals twice. Although she later made it to the finals in both Osaka and the Ando Hope tournaments, even winning the Osaka Hope event, her chances of qualifying for Grand Slam events gradually slipped away.

This week, Ma Yexin appeared at the Jing Shan Challenger. In the first round, she faced British player Burley and defeated her decisively, advancing smoothly. In the second round, Ma Yexin allowed only four games to American player H Inoue, reaching the quarterfinals. This marks Ma Yexin’s first quarterfinal appearance in a 125-level event held in China during the 2025 season.

In the quarterfinals, Ma Yexin won in straight sets against Japanese player Nishigo Rina, advancing to the semifinals. She became the first Chinese female tennis player in the past month to reach the semifinals of a 125-level event. In the semis, her opponent was the tournament’s second seed, Australian player Gibson. Can she advance further?

In the first set, Gibson broke Ma Yexin’s serve multiple times and earned set points. Facing a dire situation, Ma Yexin won three consecutive games to narrow the gap. However, she was unable to hold her serve later and lost the set 4-6.

In the second set, Ma Yexin broke her opponent’s serve first to take the lead. The opponent then broke back, and the score remained tight. At a critical moment, Ma Yexin broke serve again and won the set 7-5, leveling the match and reigniting her hope for victory.

In the deciding set, Ma Yexin started with several unforced errors, giving Gibson match points. Fortunately, she quickly regained composure and won six consecutive games to complete the comeback. This is Ma Yexin’s first time reaching a 125-level final since turning professional. After four straight wins, her world ranking jumped forty places, earning her a spot in the 2026 Australian Open qualifiers.

In the final, Ma Yexin faces New Zealand’s Sun Lulu. Will she defeat her opponent and achieve another new breakthrough in her career? Let’s wait and see. That’s today’s tennis story; more to come tomorrow.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Yixin Jushi)