Zhang Shuai and Wu Yibing face tough matches on the tour, while Wang Xinyu may secure a strong start

Time flies, and the first week of 2026 has already begun. Last week at the WTA500 Brisbane event, veteran Zhang Shuai fought through two tough matches reaching the deciding set, advancing from qualifying into the main draw. On the other hand, Guo Hanyu was decisively beaten by Poland’s Kwarcinska at the WTA250 Auckland tournament, falling short of further progress. Zhang’s breakthrough adds another Chinese player competing in both tour and challenger main draws this week. So, which Chinese players are competing in the tour and challenger events this week? What are their chances of advancing? Today, this article will take you through the details.

After emerging from the qualifiers, veteran Zhang Shuai faced American player Krueger in the first round of the WTA500 Brisbane tournament. Two years ago, this same opponent came back from a first-set bagel at the US Open to win two consecutive sets against Zhang, earning her first Grand Slam main draw victory. This time on the tour, objectively speaking, Zhang is ranked lower than Krueger, so her chances of winning are relatively slim. However, anything can happen on the tennis court, and we hope Zhang can pull off an upset despite the odds. Let’s send our best wishes to this veteran! The latest update is that Zhang has already defeated her opponent and will face Asia’s top player, Kazakhstan’s Rybakina, in the next round.

Known as "China’s Sharapova," Wang Xinyu entered the WTA250 Auckland Open as the seventh seed. Her first-round opponent was also an American, McNally. Last season, McNally won two challenger titles and reached a tour quarterfinal. However, with far less tour experience than Wang and a lower world ranking, McNally is considered the underdog. As long as Wang plays to her potential, she should be able to overcome McNally and secure a strong start to her 2026 season. The latest news is that although Wang lost the first set, she adjusted her game, won the next two sets, and completed a comeback victory, earning her first win of the 2026 season.

Wildcard entrant Wu Yibing faced Hungarian player Molčan in the first round of the ATP250 Hong Kong tournament. Molčan has previously reached a Masters quarterfinal and a tour semifinal, showing considerable strength. Although Wu also reached a tour semifinal last season and recently won the men’s singles title at the National Games, this matchup still promises to be a fierce battle. The author cautiously favors Wu Yibing to win this match. What do you think, readers?

Another wildcard player, young talent Shang Juncheng, is also competing at the ATP250 Hong Kong Open. His first-round opponent is Argentine Comerzan, who reached a tour semifinal last season. Despite this, Shang holds a psychological edge from having reached the Hong Kong ATP250 semifinals twice before, and his own skill level is strong. Therefore, Shang’s chances of winning are significantly higher. We hope he can kick off the 2026 season well and make a triumphant return this year.

This week, Yuan Yue is competing in the challenger event held in Canberra, Australia. Her first-round opponent is the eighth seed, Belgian player Van der Winkel. Last season, both Van der Winkel and Yuan Yue won challenger titles. For this match, bookmakers favor Yuan Yue to win. The latest update is that Yuan Yue has defeated her opponent and advanced to the next round.

Meanwhile, Sun Fajing’s first-round opponent at the Nuanwuri challenger is a qualifier. It is believed he can overcome this opponent and, like Yuan Yue, achieve a strong start to the 2026 season. Fans, which of these Chinese players do you think will claim their first tour win of 2026? That’s all for today’s tennis story; more to come tomorrow.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Yixin Jushi)