Due to consecutive withdrawals, Reina Gotou has advanced to the semifinals of the Hope Tournament in Liu'an.

It is widely recognized that there are relatively few young competitors in the WTA professional circuit. Occasionally, these young players participate in the Hope Tournament to acclimate to the pace of WTA professional games. While it’s common for players to withdraw due to injuries during matches, it is rare for someone to face consecutive withdrawals for the same reason. Last week, however, there was a player who benefited from multiple opponents withdrawing due to injuries, achieving commendable results. So, who is this player? Let’s explore this in today’s article.

The city of Liu'an has been named since the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty. It is said that the name was chosen to ensure peace across the region and loyalty to the Han dynasty. This area is also a famous revolutionary old district, known for its beautiful scenery and rich cultural heritage.

This week, the Hope Tournament is being held here. In the first round, the top seed, Liu Fangzhou, faced Japanese youth player Reina Gotou. Recently, Liu Fangzhou reached the finals of the Hope Tournament, showcasing her formidable strength. The first set saw both players fiercely contesting, with the score remaining close. At a crucial moment, Reina Gotou broke Liu Fangzhou's serve and took the lead. Just as it seemed her opponent was about to reach set point, Liu Fangzhou had to withdraw from the match due to injury. Thus, Reina Gotou advanced without a fight.

In the second round, Reina Gotou's opponent was the Chinese qualifier, Uyghur player Aitiya Guli Aisi Repu. This player has previously won a championship in the China Tour, demonstrating considerable skill. In this match, Reina Gotou immediately launched a series of successful attacks, breaking her opponent's serve and taking the lead. At this point, Aitiya Guli Aisi Repu, trailing significantly, had to withdraw due to injury. Once again, Reina Gotou advanced to the quarterfinals due to her opponent's withdrawal.

In the quarterfinals, Reina Gotou faced the tournament's fifth seed, Chinese player Wang Jiaqi. As the saying goes, "Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action." Given that Wang Jiaqi's world ranking is significantly higher than Reina Gotou's, many fans expected Wang Jiaqi to win easily, while Reina Gotou would leave in disappointment. In the first set, both players held their serves, keeping the score close, ultimately leading to a tiebreak. In the tiebreak, Reina Gotou showcased her superior skills, winning the first set and gaining an advantage for advancement. In the second set, despite Wang Jiaqi's repeated counterattacks, Reina Gotou managed to neutralize them and even broke Wang Jiaqi's serve, putting her in a difficult position with a substantial deficit. Due to injury, Wang Jiaqi ultimately had to withdraw from the match.

Thus, from the top seed Liu Fangzhou to the Uyghur player Aitiya Guli Aisi Repu, and finally to the fifth seed Wang Jiaqi, Reina Gotou has advanced to the semifinals with ease after three consecutive matches, all benefiting from her opponents' withdrawals while she was leading. One could say that the young player, Reina Gotou from Japan, has had some luck. However, upon closer examination, if she hadn't consistently scored and maintained the lead, perhaps her opponents wouldn't have withdrawn. This clearly illustrates that luck is built upon strength. That wraps up today’s tennis story; more to come tomorrow.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Yixin Jushi)