At Roland-Garros, a new cross-border duo lit up the women’s doubles draw. From the Chinese mainland, young talent Yuan Yue and New Zealand’s rising star Lulu Sun battled through a three-set thriller, ousting Russia’s Anna Blinkova and Egypt’s Maiar Sherif to clinch their spot in the second round with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory.
The pair wasted no time in the first set, storming to a 3-0 lead and maintaining momentum to seal it 6-2. Blinkova and Sherif fought back in set two, edging out a 7-5 win that tested Yuan and Sun’s resolve. Drawing on their strong singles foundations and reliable baseline play, the duo regrouped in the decider, dictating rallies and closing out the match 6-3.
“Our teamwork was quite good. We didn’t complicate things with elaborate tactics; instead, we relied on our singles skills, staying deep at the baseline to create the advantage,” Yuan said, reflecting on the partnership that blends precision, power, and poise.
With this win, Yuan and Sun join a competitive second-round field, showcasing how global talents can combine strengths across geographies. As young professionals on and off the court, their success mirrors a growing trend: athletes leveraging single-player prowess to shine in doubles, offering fresh narratives at tennis’s biggest stages.
Reference(s):
Yuan & Sun reach women's doubles second round at French Open
cgtn.com
