The US Open's opening day brought unexpected heartbreak for China's women's singles team as all four players on court Sunday suffered first-round exits in thrilling but challenging matchups. From rising star Wang Xiyu to veteran Zhang Shuai, shockwaves rippled through Flushing Meadows as national hopes dimmed early in the final Grand Slam of the season.
Wang Xiyu, who battled through qualifiers with grit, fell 6-4, 6-3 to Latvian Jelena Ostapenko. It marks her second straight opening-round defeat at New York's hard courts, underscoring the fierce competition at Grand Slam level.
Veteran qualifier Zhang Shuai, 36, looked to defy the odds against 16th seed Belinda Bencic but ultimately bowed out 6-3, 6-3, ending her quest for a deep run in the tournament.
In a nail-biter against home favorite Emma Navarro, Wang Yafan held three match points at 5-3 in the first set but saw them slip away, dropping the set in a tiebreak before falling 7-6, 6-3.
Zhu Lin staged a comeback, leveling the contest at one set apiece against Anastasia Potapova, but the Russian edged ahead in the final set to win 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 after a nearly three-hour battle.
With these upsets, China now pins its hopes on Yuan Yue, who takes the court Monday night, and Wang Xinyu, scheduled for Tuesday. Their performances carry the weight of a nation eager for redemption under the bright lights of Flushing Meadows.
Reference(s):
Heartbreak for China as four women's singles players exit US Open
cgtn.com
