Wang Xinyu leads a comeback to crush her opponent, shedding the "soft girl" image; Xiao Bu faces a Grand Slam curse with a fifth consecutive defeat

With six mainland Chinese players all falling in the first round of the US Open main draw, Wang Xinyu, who appeared last as the team leader, finally clinched a win for the Chinese Tennis Association, preventing the total collapse of the eight-player squad.

After Zheng Qinwen withdrew due to injury, Wang Xinyu immediately became the highest-ranked Chinese player at this US Open, and before the match, everyone was curious about what kind of results the Chinese No.2 would achieve in her debut as team leader at a Grand Slam.

The reason so many people were concerned about Wang Xinyu’s fate was mainly because the draw luck for mainland Chinese players at this US Open was extremely tough, with each bracket tougher than the last. Under such special circumstances, whether Wang, as the leader, could step up, shake off the "soft girl" label, and deliver a stunning performance in New York akin to Jolin Tsai’s “Sun Will Never Set” hitting the highest soprano notes, became especially crucial.

Although Wang Xinyu was favored by bookmakers against American Dolehide in the first round, before this high-profile match began, there were still some worries about Wang, considering she had just played multiple three-set battles in Cleveland before the US Open, and how well she had recovered physically was a key factor affecting the outcome.

Wang Xinyu’s unenthusiastic performance in the first set, combined with being broken twice, raised concerns about her stamina, and this situation instantly pushed the tension in the live broadcast to its peak.

After Dolehide quickly took the first set 6-2, the barrage of comments fearing the Chinese No.2 would be swept away completely flooded the screen.

Some bluntly stated that if Wang Xinyu lost to Dolehide, the entire powerful Chinese women’s tennis group of six would be eliminated in the first round of the US Open, which would be a huge embarrassment for Chinese tennis!

Pushed to the brink, seeing Wang still appear as lethargic in the second set as in the first, viewers in the live chat immediately said they couldn’t watch anymore, fearing a complete sweep would ruin their sleep, and some even gave up midway, hoping to lessen the “pain.”

On one side, Dolehide grew stronger as the match progressed; on the other, Wang Xinyu struggled to keep up. The stark contrast in their conditions seemed to have already decided the match’s outcome prematurely.

Everyone thought Wang’s defeat was certain, but surprisingly, the Chinese No.2 showed incredible resilience, keeping the scoreline tight. No one expected that at 4-4, Wang would suddenly strike back at a critical moment and narrowly win the set 6-4.

After leveling the match, Wang suddenly transformed, shedding her earlier lethargy. In the final set, she turned into a warrior princess. As Dolehide angrily smashed her racket, the momentum on court shifted dramatically.

The American, who had been fierce in the first two sets, was broken down by Wang, turning the decider into Wang’s showcase. When the Chinese No.2 closed the match 6-2, announcing a strong comeback over Dolehide, the live broadcast erupted in cheers.

How significant was Wang Xinyu’s victory? It was about the pride of the Chinese women’s tennis squad! Had she failed, critics would have accused her of being unfit for leadership, losing at the moment when the team needed her most, further eroding trust in her.

Moreover, Wang’s win reversed the previous perception that she played too passively and struggled to show fighting spirit when it mattered. Many praised her, saying the Chinese No.2 finally showed toughness when the team needed her most, bidding farewell to the former “soft girl” image and earning the nickname “Queen of Flowers.”

After Wang’s victory, many expressed sympathy for China’s No.1 male player, Bu Yunchaokete.

Following Shang Juncheng’s mid-match withdrawal due to injury, as the sole male player from mainland China and the country’s No.1, many believed Bu Yunchaokete had the chance to redeem himself and mainland men’s tennis with a win.

Facing wildcard player Ruwaye, Bu Yunchaokete was clearly the favorite. In terms of skill, the Chinese No.1 had the edge; bookmakers also favored Bu.

The disappointment with Bu Yunchaokete stemmed from his seemingly sleepwalking performance from the start, leading fans and netizens to label him as “lifeless.”

After quickly losing the first two sets 1-6, 4-6, Bu woke up in the third, but by then Ruwaye’s confidence and momentum were fully established. Even though Bu fought back to force a tiebreak for a brief respite, Ruwaye gave him no chance, ending the match and sending Bu out in the first round.

Post-match, many were speechless about Bu Yunchaokete’s performance. Besides disappointing bookmakers and fans, he seems trapped by a Grand Slam curse, unable to win in five main draw appearances. Given his losses to seemingly any opponent, there is growing concern that Bu must find a way to break this curse to make any impact on the Grand Slam stage; otherwise, all hopes will remain empty talk!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River’s Starry Sky)