Chinese Women Ace the Australian Open 🎾🌟
China's tennis queens are serving up some serious action at the Australian Open! 🇨🇳💪
Wang Xiyu, just 23, showcased her resilience by cruising past Austria's Julia Grabher 6-1, 7-5 in the first round on Tuesday. After a rocky match last month against Sofia Kenin in Auckland, Wang bounced back in style, grabbing her first win at the iconic Rod Laver Arena in three years! 🎉
She stormed through the first set, snagging seven games in a row. While the second set got a bit tricky with a couple of breaks, Wang kept her cool and sealed the deal. Next up, she's facing off against the USA's Emma Navarro. Go, Wang! 🙌
But that's not all! Wang Yafan also brought her A-game, flipping the script after dropping the first set to defeat Hungary's Anna Bondar 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. That's two years in a row making it to the second round! 🔥
Despite missing a key break point early on, Wang Yafan rallied like a champ. She dominated the second set and fought hard in the decider, breaking twice to clinch the victory. Up next, she's set to challenge Russian ninth seed Daria Kasatkina. Let's cheer her on! 🎊
On the flip side, Yuan Yue faced a tough battle against 27th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. After an epic three-set thriller, Yuan bowed out with her head held high. What a fight! 💪
Men's Team Face Early Exits 😢
The men's side had a rough day. Zhang Zhizhen, China's top-ranked male player, went toe-to-toe in a five-set marathon against Denmark's Holger Rune. Despite his tenacity and some jaw-dropping shots, Zhang fell just short with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Keep your head up, Zhang! ✊
Earlier at the United Cup, Zhang showed promise against big names like Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz. He's definitely one to watch this season! 👀
Meanwhile, Shang Juncheng had to retire from his match against Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina due to injury. Sending healing vibes his way! 🙏
Though the men's team faced early exits, there's no doubt they'll come back stronger. The future is bright for Chinese tennis! 🌅
Stay tuned for more smashing action from Down Under! 🏆✨
Reference(s):
Australian Open: Chinese women excel but men suffer early eliminations
cgtn.com
