Yuan Yue narrowly lost to Paolini while Zhang Shuai carries the Chinese flag, Xu Yifan angrily condemns WTA's forced disqualification of her participation

In the second round of the Wuhan Open women's singles, Chinese competitor Yuan Yue engaged in a fierce match against Italy’s 7th seed Paolini. Ultimately, after three challenging sets, Yuan Yue was defeated 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, suffering a comeback loss for the second year running to the same rival at this event.

With this defeat, Yuan Yue has lost all four of her matches against Paolini. This season, her record in three-set matches stands at 3 wins and 10 losses. Despite not advancing beyond the second round, Yuan Yue successfully retained the 65 ranking points she earned at Wuhan last year and earned $23,450 in prize money.

The match between Yuan Yue and Paolini marked their second consecutive year meeting at the Wuhan Open. Last year, Yuan Yue was defeated 0-2 by Paolini in the second round, so the Chinese star was eager for revenge. Notably, in this year’s first round, Yuan Yue showed remarkable determination and resilience by defeating Italian qualifier Bronzetti in two intense tiebreak sets.

However, facing the stronger 7th seed, Yuan Yue could not maintain her excellent form from the first round. After winning the opening set, Yuan Yue had numerous break point chances in the following two sets but failed to convert them. Her 34 unforced errors throughout the match were a major factor contributing to her loss.

With Yuan Yue eliminated, Zhang Shuai remains the only Chinese player in the Wuhan Open women’s singles round of 16. The veteran displayed strong fighting spirit, holding off her opponent’s comeback in the afternoon’s second round match to win 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 against Kostyia. This marks Zhang’s return to the Wuhan Open round of 16 after seven years, where she will next face 3rd seed Gauff, matching her personal best performance at this tournament.

Off the court, Chinese doubles star Xu Yifan’s public complaint has drawn widespread attention. She revealed that the WTA forcibly withdrew her from the competition citing “health concerns.”

In her statement, Xu Yifan explained that after being hit on the head by a ball during training, she was hastily diagnosed by the WTA as “possible mild concussion from ball impact” based solely on her symptom report and neurological check. A day later, just one hour before her match, the WTA abruptly and firmly notified her of forced withdrawal.

“I immediately lost the chance to fight for a higher ranking and had no choice but to accept it,” Xu wrote, despite feeling “fine the next day with no discomfort.” She stressed that if necessary, she would sign a voluntary play waiver rather than lose control over her own physical feelings.

She emphasized that when she asked the WTA medical department what medical evidence and procedures justified their decision on a player’s eligibility, she only received a vague response: “This is our decision,” which she found unacceptable.

Xu pointed out that while the Shanghai Masters saw serious player conditions, many players were still forced to compete. Players like Djokovic even vomited and suffered severe physical distress during matches, and the ATP’s hot weather events continue unabated, yet she was blocked from competing this week by the WTA in the name of “protection.”

Xu Yifan appealed, “I sincerely appreciate the WTA medical team’s ongoing concern for player health, but this decision’s carelessness and unprofessionalism left me deeply disappointed and powerless, causing sleepless nights.”

One netizen commented, “If an athlete feels well but cannot compete, whose interests are being protected?” However, others expressed understanding: “The risks of concussion are huge; WTA’s caution is understandable.”

The competition on tennis courts never stops, and Chinese female players have no time to dwell on Wuhan Open regrets. As Yuan Yue packs up, she will realize that the scoreboard loss is behind her and the ranking points are secured. Meanwhile, Xu Yifan’s complaint and the Shanghai Masters heat controversy represent two sides of the same coin, reflecting the difficult balance in professional tennis between players’ health rights and autonomy.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)