In a stunning upset at the Guangzhou Open, wildcard entrant Wei Sijia triumphed over the sixth-seeded Rebecca Sramkova of Slovakia with a decisive 6-1, 6-4 victory in the women's singles first round.
Wei showcased remarkable aggression and fearlessness in her debut match against Sramkova. The first set was swiftly dominated by the home player, as she broke her opponent twice to secure the set with ease, leading the match 1-0.
The second set saw a resurgence from Sramkova, who found her rhythm and tightened the competition. However, Wei maintained her composure, converting a crucial break point early to establish a 3-1 lead. Despite Sramkova tying the score at 3-3, Wei delivered a pivotal third break in the seventh game and held her serve in the eighth to retake the lead. Although Sramkova pushed the match to a ninth game, Wei sealed her victory by holding her service in the tenth game.
In doubles action, Chinese veteran Zhang Shuai teamed up with Czech Republic's Katerina Siniakova to dominate the women's doubles competition, defeating China's Liu Leyi and Nima Zhuoma with a commanding 6-0, 6-1 win.
At 35, Zhang Shuai is not only celebrating her doubles success but is also preparing for her singles event. She is set to face eighth-seeded Kamilla Rakhimova of Russia in the first round. Zhang has previously triumphed at the Guangzhou Open, securing her first and second Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour singles titles in 2013 and 2017.
Reference(s):
Wei Sijia upsets No. 6 seed Rebecca Sramkova at Guangzhou Open
cgtn.com
