Wu Yibing Reaches Quarterfinals, One Win Away from TOP100; Yuan Yue Shares Adorable Secret Behind Her Good Form

After Wu Yibing's match against Japanese player Shimabukuro Sho ended, everything went as predicted before the match—China's top male player advanced to the third round without any suspense.

Of course, after securing a quarterfinal spot at the Acapulco 500 tournament, greater expectations for Wu Yibing have now emerged!

After causing the biggest upset at the Acapulco 500 by defeating Norway's top player Ruud in the first round, the matchup between Wu Yibing and Japanese player Shimabukuro Sho in the second round saw overwhelming support for the Chinese star to win. The reason was simple: having already overcome the tough challenge of Ruud, the relatively unknown Shimabukuro stood little chance against a confident and high‑spirited Wu Yibing.

In the end, Wu Yibing lived up to expectations, defeating the Japanese player in straight sets and earning a valuable quarterfinal ticket at the Acapulco 500.

When discussing the match afterward, many noted that the outcome seemed decided from the very start of the first set. Although a minor hiccup occurred in the second set, everything remained under Wu Yibing's control.

Seeing Wu Yibing quickly take a dream 3‑0 lead with a break and hold, while Shimabukuro struggled even to earn break points against the Chinese player's serve, made it clear the match was effectively over.

Especially after Wu Yibing swiftly took the first set 6‑3, before the second set began the only question on everyone's mind was how many games the Japanese player would manage to win before the match ended.

However, the course of the second set unexpectedly became complicated—a match that seemed destined for a straightforward victory turned into a suspenseful drama.

Shimabukuro seized the opportunity presented by Wu Yibing's dip in physical energy to launch an aggressive counterattack, hoping to level the match.

What was admirable about Wu Yibing was that, despite the Japanese player's fierce comeback, he refused to let Shimabukuro break him and take the lead in the second set. Neither gave an inch, forcing a tie‑break to decide the set.

In the second‑set tie‑break, after being broken, Wu Yibing remarkably summoned a burst of energy and eventually prevailed 7‑4, narrowly but safely emerging victorious, ensuring the predicted outcome did not go astray.

With this win over Shimabukuro, Wu Yibing's live world ranking has now reached No. 111. Some fans have calculated that he is only 44 points away from returning to the TOP 100. This means that if Wu Yibing can win one more match, he will re‑enter the TOP 100.

Wu Yibing's quarterfinal opponent has been confirmed—he will face Italian player Cobolli. Many believe the Chinese star still has a good chance to advance further because his motivation is now entirely different.

With the upset elimination of Alexander Zverev in the top half, competition in that section has suddenly opened up, giving everyone a chance to reach the final and contend for the title. Even though Cobolli is a tough opponent, driven by such strong motivation, Wu Yibing is unlikely to let this golden opportunity slip away. That is why some are already voicing championship hopes for him, raising expectations even higher.

After benefiting from Pegula's withdrawal to become a lucky loser from qualifying, Yuan Yue's current performance is now on par with Wu Yibing's!

After a thrilling comeback victory over Sramkova in the first round that gave everyone a roller‑coaster ride, Yuan Yue delivered a completely reassuring performance in the second round against Garf, showing her form is steadily improving.

From the start of the match, Yuan Yue completely dominated Garf, wrapping up a straightforward 6‑3, 6‑2 victory in just 83 minutes, demonstrating that the confident and commanding “Little Yueyue” is finally back.

Expectations for Yuan Yue are now similar to those for Wu Yibing—many believe she has a real shot at the title and could recreate the glorious moment of her 2024 championship run.

The confidence in Yuan Yue stems not only from the good fortune of top seed Pegula's withdrawal, which allowed her to seize the opportunity, but also from the underwhelming performances of other top seeds.

In Yuan Yue's half of the draw, third seed Wang Xinyu and seventh seed McNally have already been eliminated early. As long as “Little Yueyue” can maintain the form she showed in defeating Garf, her chances of reaching the final are very high.

When asked in a post‑match interview about the secret behind her excellent form in Austin, Yuan Yue directly revealed the answer: eating barbecue, because it provides ample energy.

Yuan Yue's remark caused quite a stir—some praised her for being adorable, while others said she had delivered the cutest answer possible.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River's Starry Sky)