Chinese tennis player Wei Sijia is just one win away from securing a spot in the women's singles main draw at the Australian Open. Wei, ranked World No. 119, triumphed over Germany's Tamara Korpatsch with a convincing 6-3, 6-3 victory on Wednesday, advancing to the final qualifying round.
The match, which lasted one hour and 18 minutes, showcased Wei's impressive performance as she won 63 percent of her service points and hit 20 winners compared to Korpatsch's 10. Her next challenge awaits on Thursday against Serbian Nina Stojanovic, ranked World No. 237, where a win would mark her first appearance in a Grand Slam main draw.
This achievement marks Wei's second consecutive year reaching the final qualifying round at the Australian Open, following her narrow defeat in the 2024 qualifying round. At just 21 years old, Wei is rapidly making her mark in the tennis world.
Meanwhile, another Chinese player, Gao Xinyu, faced a tough match against Croatian veteran Petra Martic in the second qualifying round. Gao, who achieved a career-high ranking of No. 146 after leading China to the quarterfinals at the United Cup, was unable to capitalize on her early lead and was ultimately defeated 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 after two hours and 38 minutes.
Martic, the 16th seed in the qualifying tournament, demonstrated resilience by leveling the score and breaking Gao's serve twice to secure her victory.
As the Australian Open progresses, Wei Sijia's potential entry into the main draw is eagerly anticipated by fans and marks a significant moment in her budding tennis career.
Reference(s):
China's Wei Sijia reaches final round of Australian Open qualifying
cgtn.com
