In a stunning upset, Wang Xiyu swept past the 7th seed in straight sets to reach the round of 16 at the Guangzhou Open, marking a strong start for the Chinese star!

Today marked the official start of the Guangzhou Tennis Open, where wildcard entrant Wang Xiyu pulled off a surprising 6-4, 6-4 victory over the tournament’s 7th seed and world No. 74, British player Jones, in a 114-minute battle, advancing confidently to the second round and fulfilling her vow to “give her all for every point.”

This win not only earned Wang Xiyu 30 ranking points, boosting her immediate ranking to No. 166, but also marked her third main draw singles victory on the tour this season.

Before the match even started, the pressure was high. Wang Xiyu’s form has been inconsistent this season with disappointing singles results, whereas her opponent Jones has been in great shape, reaching the final in São Paulo in September and maintaining a perfect 3-0 record against Chinese players this year.

From a performance perspective, Jones was undoubtedly the favorite to advance. However, Guangzhou has always been a lucky ground for Chinese players. Wang Xiyu previously won her first career tour title here, which gave her considerable confidence for this tournament.

This match was the first-ever professional meeting between the two players, making it a genuine head-to-head encounter.

Jones is known for her baseline resilience and ability to engage in extended rallies, though her serve lacks consistency. Wang Xiyu’s left-handed play offers an advantage, with a powerful forehand attack, but she has recently struggled with mental lapses when leading. Pre-match odds slightly favored Jones, but Wang’s home court experience was a potential game-changer.

At the start of the first set, Wang Xiyu quickly found her rhythm, holding serve and breaking to take a 3-0 lead. Her decisive backhand and mix of crosscourt and slice shots disrupted Jones’s rhythm. Midway through, Jones fought back fiercely, holding and breaking to reduce the gap to 2-3. The players then exchanged service holds until Jones leveled at 4-4 with another break. In the critical ninth game, Wang took a bold line change during baseline exchanges to secure a crucial break. She then held serve to close the set 6-4.

In the second set, Wang built on her momentum, breaking and holding to lead 2-0. The match then settled into a rhythm of service holds, with Wang securing a key hold to move ahead 3-1. Fans watching live commented, “Reminds me of the comeback at Ningbo... hope it doesn’t repeat!”

The sixth game proved pivotal as Wang hit a stunning backhand winner during baseline rallies, eliciting cheers from the crowd. She then held serve to reach 5-3, inching closer to victory. Online viewers flooded the chat: “That shot was so inspiring! She’s clutch on the big points today!”

Although Jones held serve in the ninth to narrow the gap to 4-5, Wang did not allow any chance in her service game to close out the match. A sharp wide serve earned her the match point, and she sealed the win 6-4.

The entire match lasted 1 hour and 54 minutes. Wang’s first serve success rate was an impressive 78%, she hit eight more winners than her opponent, and showed decisiveness in converting break points.

After the match, she said, “I’m very happy to win in front of my home crowd. I focused hard on every point, especially in the crucial moments. I’ll keep fighting to go further.”

She also revealed that gaining confidence from recent lower-tier tournaments has helped her gradually regain her competitive rhythm.

On social media, fans praised her performance: “Finally, no need for quick heart medicine today!” and “The backhand angles and clutch play are visibly improved!” Some joked, “Wang Xiyu proves that Guangzhou really is her lucky place!”

“Fighting back from adversity is so satisfying!” added another fan.

Next, Wang will face the winner between Italian veteran Cocciaretto and French player Parry in the second round.

Head-to-head records show Wang trails Cocciaretto 1-2 but leads Parry 2-1.

Fans are eager for her to maintain her form: “Fight for every match, returning to the TOP 100 is not a dream!” This victory has rekindled her confidence and raised hopes for Chinese players’ success on home soil.

Wang once admitted in an interview, “No matter the ranking stage, I always feel a bit anxious. I tell myself to accept it and bounce back from lows faster.”

Now on Guangzhou’s courts, she is proving step by step that she is climbing out of the slump.

Fans have every reason to expect that this player, who claimed her first career title in Guangzhou, will continue to break through and go further on this fortunate ground.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)