Wang Xinyu’s farewell to Austin marks the harshest setback of the new season, while Wang Xiyu’s comeback date is confirmed.

Wang Xinyu’s Austin campaign has concluded! The manner of her departure was disappointing, marked by a first-round loss in both singles and doubles in the new season!

After the new season started, it was widely believed that the fans’ and netizens’ cheers were triggered by Wang Xinyu. With the number one player Zheng Qinwen resting, Wang Xinyu led the team to the final in the early tour events. Despite falling short and finishing second, she was seen as the best start for China’s tennis squad this year.

Especially after Wang Xinyu withdrew from the Dubai 1000 event and officially resumed competition in Austin after the Spring Festival, expectations soared. Many believed this was her chance to claim her first career singles title.

Unexpectedly, these high hopes crashed prematurely from great heights and shattered completely, as the third seed Wang Xinyu was upset by qualifier Masarova.

After Wang Xinyu’s early exit from the singles title race, the public was not too surprised. Some defended her, saying that the Chinese “Sharapova” might still be adjusting from the holiday mode after the Spring Festival, commonly known as typical holiday syndrome. They believed that after the singles setback, the doubles with Zheng Saisai would show a refreshed Wang Xinyu. Moreover, without the burden of singles, Wang Xinyu would likely perform more calmly. Let’s keep looking forward to it!

However, when Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai’s doubles debut in Austin ended, the hopes were shattered once again, cutting deeply like a knife. It’s hard to believe that the transformed and thrilling Wang Xinyu of the new season handed in an unbelievable zero-point report card in Austin, being eliminated in the first round in both singles and doubles.

Before facing the team of Shelekhmeteva and Zakharova, although Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai’s advantage wasn’t very clear, many still placed their trust in the “Sai You Sisters.” The reason was simple: since Wang Xinyu was already out early in singles, she would definitely give her all in doubles. Whether they could reach the final was uncertain, but at least they would try hard to avoid a first-round exit. Zheng Saisai was also expected to fight hard to support Wang Xinyu, because if they lost in doubles too, Wang Xinyu’s Austin trip would end embarrassingly, something she surely wouldn’t want, so there was every reason for them to give their best.

However, seeing the “Sai You Sisters” appear disconnected in their coordination, after losing the first set 3-6 and before the second set even started, many fans and netizens already sounded the alarm for their exit.

Yet some held an opposing view, saying the charm of competitive sports lies in its unpredictability, and comebacks are common. They firmly believed that the “Sai You Sisters,” when pushed to the brink, would surely fight back.

Unfortunately, no comeback news came. When Shelekhmeteva and Zakharova won the second set 6-4, it officially confirmed the “Sai You Sisters” were eliminated in the first round. Wang Xinyu’s Austin journey thus ended, marking the worst performance since the season began.

After the match, some expressed regret over Wang Xinyu’s first-round exits in both singles and doubles, humorously noting that after the Chinese Lunar New Year, the “battle with the ‘Wa’” has become a hurdle. Losing singles to Masarova and doubles debut to Shelekhmeteva and Zakharova—starting from Indian Wells, solutions must be found, or facing players with “Wa” in their names will continue to be worrisome.

Following the confirmation of Wang Xinyu’s next tournament plans, Wang Xiyu, who had been on a break, is finally set to make her comeback.

Currently, Wang Xiyu’s name appears on the entry list for the ITF Kyoto 75-level event. She has chosen to return through a lower-tier challenger, raising great anticipation for her performance.

Due to injury, Wang Xiyu missed many tournaments previously and has not played any event so far this season. Many are anxious for her, noting that her ranking has dropped to 223. If she doesn’t appear soon, qualifying for the French Open will become very difficult.

The Kyoto Challenger begins on March 9th. Besides Wang Xiyu, players like Zhu Lin and Bai Zhuoxuan will also compete, joining forces with Wang in this event!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River’s Starry Sky)