It is rare to see three players withdraw within half a day at the China Open; why has Swiatek become the biggest beneficiary?

People assumed that as the China Open progressed to its climax, the withdrawal trend would diminish, but unexpectedly, it continued! Having three players withdraw in just half a day is extremely rare in the tournament’s history.

Yesterday, Andreyeva was the first to start the match on Diamond Court!

Because her opponents, Manaro and the Russian girl, were clearly not of the same caliber, many viewers criticized the match as uninteresting. Especially after Andreyeva took the first set 6-4, she turned the second set into a solo performance, effectively sidelining Manaro. This made many fans lose interest and shift their hopes to the upcoming men’s singles showdown between Demin and Menchik.

Just as everyone was eager to see this clash of titans and find out who would advance between the Aussie wild card and Menchik, an unexpected early withdrawal occurred, spreading disappointment instantly among fans and viewers in the live broadcast. Some speculated that the exciting duel everyone wanted to see was unlikely to happen, and that both players completing the match would already be a great consolation for the audience.

This concern arose because Menchik called for a medical timeout due to a knee problem shortly after the first set began.

The unfortunate prediction by fans and viewers came true when Demin led 4-1 and Menchik, unable to continue, was forced to retire. The Aussie wild card advanced with little effort and no sweat, feeling naturally pleased, but fans lamented having waited so long only to be left disappointed. They said the match was even less exciting than the women’s singles match between Xiaomi and Manaro, at least that one was completed.

After Menchik’s withdrawal, this trend quickly spread to Lotus Court, sparked by the Czech prodigy.

Buisson made a stunning impression at the French Open this year, which made many remember her name.

This time, she faced American heiress Navarro in the third round, with the main question being whether Buisson could cause an upset.

Due to the high expectations for the French player, when she lost the first set 2-6, the live broadcast was immediately filled with doubts about her true level.

It was expected that these doubts would persist for some time, but surprisingly, they soon subsided.

Buisson had just started the second set and was down 0-1 when she suddenly retired due to injury. This made many feel sorry for having been too quick to doubt her abilities. Given Buisson’s potential, it might not have been so easy for Navarro to dominate her in the first set if she had been fully healthy. Clearly, the injury had a major impact, forcing her to withdraw.

Two withdrawals in a short period led fans and viewers to joke about watching the matches in fast-forward mode, while hoping such incidents would not happen again.

Just as the words were spoken, news came that Colombian player Osonio also withdrew due to injury.

Three players withdrawing within half a day instantly ignited the live broadcast chat. Many fans and viewers openly wondered if this was a day of misfortune for singles players or if some taboo had been broken, as Menchik, Buisson, and Osonio all retired at similar times and for injury reasons.

Although mid-match retirements are disappointing for fans and viewers because the matches cannot be completed smoothly, this situation humorously highlighted Swiatek, with some saying previous concerns about her were completely dismissed, making her the biggest beneficiary by default.

After Leybakina and Krejcikova were eliminated on the same day, some fans jokingly felt the China Open was unfriendly to Wimbledon champions this year. The discussion humorously extended to Swiatek, with jokes that the Polish player might be in danger and must be very careful next, or the biggest upset in the women’s singles at the China Open would occur.

Whether Swiatek was aware of these jokes is unknown, but when she faced Osonio, she quickly found her rhythm and unleashed full power, overwhelming the Colombian player and taking the first set without dropping a game.

Shortly after, Osonio suddenly announced her withdrawal due to injury, allowing the Polish player to advance easily and putting an end to the humorous concerns raised by the earlier jokes.

Interestingly, Navarro and Swiatek, both benefiting from their opponents’ retirements, will face each other in the round of 16, indirectly creating a major highlight for the China Open.

Many believe that both Navarro and Swiatek showed very strong performances in their first sets before their opponents retired, so the intensity might have been less than a typical training session. When they meet, if both use their full strength, the outcome will be highly anticipated!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moonlit Starry Sky)