Wang Xinyu received a piece of good news before her attempt to reach the top 32, while Osaka urgently explained after a heated argument escalated.

Trying to break into the last 32 means the path ahead is smooth; losing means all hope is gone! This was how some described Wang Xinyu’s fate before her second-round match at the US Open.

As the only remaining singles player from mainland China, Wang Xinyu has become the center of attention, with everyone eager to see if this sole hope of the entire community will end her run at the US Open’s second round or continue to carry the flag forward, showcasing her tough first-round persona on the international stage.

However, facing the Russian star Aleksandrova in the second round presents a significant challenge for Wang Xinyu to overcome.

According to the odds set by bookmakers for this high-profile match, Wang Xinyu is not favored, with her odds at 2.75 compared to Aleksandrova’s 1.44. Some netizens even said that Zheng Qinwen didn’t have a sure win against Aleksandrova, so it’s only natural that Wang Xinyu isn’t favored.

But some argued against this, saying such comments only discourage others and undermine oneself. Many players not favored by odds still end up surprising everyone. “Why can’t the Chinese No.2 be that person? Why assume she’s lost before even playing?”

On paper, it’s indeed tough for Wang Xinyu to get past Aleksandrova given their ranking gap: China’s No.2 is ranked 34th globally, while the Russian star sits 12th. Yet psychologically, Wang Xinyu might defy the odds and cause an upset. They have met three times before, with Wang leading 2-1.

It’s likely this head-to-head record has encouraged some to back Wang Xinyu, believing that since she has beaten Aleksandrova twice before, she still has a chance to emerge victorious and keep the mainland China tennis flag flying high in singles competition.

Another motivating factor for Wang Xinyu is that the top seed Schneider was eliminated by German veteran Sigmund, which is great news for China’s No.2. This means if Wang can get past Aleksandrova in the second round, she could very well advance to the last 16 without much difficulty.

Some fans advising Wang Xinyu noted that Aleksandrova’s aggressive style and tactical flexibility require Wang to withstand her firepower and disrupt her rhythm strategically. “If Pressure Girl’s emotions kick in, Wang’s foot is practically already in the third round.”

Looking back at their previous three-set battle at the Wuhan Masters last year, this second-round clash at the US Open will surely be tough. Some boldly predict that if Wang can drag the match into three sets, her youth and stamina will give her a greater chance to cause an upset.

The match is scheduled to start at 11 PM Beijing time tonight. Whether Wang Xinyu can seize the opportunity created by Schneider’s early exit, defeat Aleksandrova, and steadily move toward the anticipated last 16 will soon be revealed.

Wang Xinyu faces pressure to reach the third round, but former French Open champion Ostapenko, who has already been eliminated, is under even greater stress.

After losing in straight sets to American Townsend, Ostapenko was involved in a post-match argument that has rapidly escalated in public opinion.

Especially since Townsend publicly shared the details of their quarrel, accusing Ostapenko of being “tasteless and ill-mannered,” even threatening her with “wait until you leave the US,” which has caused the former French Open champion to be labeled as a “tennis diva” and “a sore loser.”

According to the latest information from Ostapenko’s side, besides being insulted, she is also accused of “racial discrimination,” showing that this argument has indeed caused her serious trouble.

Many who watched the match say Townsend behaved normally on court without any misconduct, making it hard to understand where Ostapenko’s claims of “tasteless and ill-mannered” came from, suggesting she is just upset about losing and stirring up trouble unnecessarily.

To quickly calm the storm caused by the argument, Ostapenko immediately issued a clarification on her personal social media, emphasizing that she was not acting unreasonably.

Ostapenko’s explanation can be summarized in two points: first, Townsend scored on a net-cord shot without apologizing afterward, which angered her; second, during warm-up, Townsend jumped to the net instead of starting from the baseline, which Ostapenko felt was disrespectful and against the rules.

These two incidents made the losing Ostapenko increasingly angry, and after the match, she could no longer contain her fury and had a loud argument with Townsend in front of the global audience.

Unfortunately, judging by the latest public reactions, Ostapenko’s explanation doesn’t seem to have helped calm the controversy. Many feel these are trivial issues that could have been handled better, but Ostapenko chose the most extreme way, making it hard for people to forgive her easily.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River’s Starry Sky)