On Tuesday at the WTA Berlin Open, Wang Xinyu of the Chinese mainland took charge from the outset to knock out Daria Kasatkina of Australia 6-3, 6-2, booking her spot in the second round.
The World No. 49 faced early trouble when she was broken in the opening game and trailed 3-1. Undeterred, the 23-year-old rallied to win five games in a row and closed out the first set 6-3. She carried that momentum into the second set, breaking Kasatkina twice and fending off two break points in the eighth game to seal the victory.
Up next for Wang is a high-profile clash with French Open champion Coco Gauff of the USA—a matchup that promises fireworks as both players look to make their mark on the grass-court season.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina also advanced after edging the USA’s Ashlyn Krueger 7-6, 6-3. Krueger stepped in for Zheng Qinwen of the Chinese mainland, who withdrew due to a neck injury.
Zheng, now World No. 4 after a semifinal run at Queen’s Club, is targeting recovery in time for Wimbledon, which begins on June 30. She has also confirmed plans to partner with World No. 6 Jack Draper of Britain in mixed doubles at the US Open starting August 24.
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Wang Xinyu defeats Kasatkina, reaches second round at WTA Berlin Open
cgtn.com
