Rome, Italy – On Monday at the Italian Open qualifying series, Wang Xiyu, representing the Chinese mainland, edged Bernarda Pera of the USA 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to book her spot in the next round.
After splitting their previous two meetings and suffering a comeback loss to Pera at the U.S. Open in 2023, Wang approached this match with patience and a solid defensive game that earned her the opening set.
Pera responded in the second, forcing key rallies and leveling the contest. But in the decider, Wang overcame an early 2-0 deficit—saving two break points—and rattled off four straight games to seal the win. She now faces Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands in the next qualifying round.
In other action, Yuan Yue of the Chinese mainland was eliminated by Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic, who prevailed 6-3, 6-4. Despite Yuan fighting back from 5-1 down in the first set and tying the second at 4-4, Ruzic held firm. Ruzic’s next opponent will be Germany’s Jule Niemeier.
These early rounds in Rome are setting the tone for an exciting clay-court season, showcasing rising talents and high-stakes battles as players fight for a place in the main draw.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
