On the fourth day of the 2024 Wimbledon, Chinese tennis player Wang Xinyu defeated No. 5 seed Pegula 6-4, 6-7, 6-1, securing her first victory over a top-10 opponent and advancing to the round of 32 at the tournament for the first time.
Reflecting on the match, Wang analyzed, “I’m quite satisfied with my serving today. I knew before the match that she plays really well on grass, with flat shots that are particularly challenging to handle. Overall, I was content with my service games, even though there were moments of tension where my first serve percentage wasn’t high, making the service games difficult. But in general, it was good.”
In addition to her serving, Wang mentioned, “My slice worked well too. Without it, it’s hard to play against her because once she opens up the court, it’s tough to return with a high-quality shot. The slice was very helpful.”
After having a chance to close out the match in the second set and holding a match point in the tiebreak, only to see Pegula level the score, Wang explained how she regained her composure for the decisive third set: “After the second set, I felt more relaxed. It was a tight set with many breaks and re-breaks. If I had started serving and coming to the net earlier, I might have won in two sets.”
Regarding her aggressive approach in the final moments to seal the win, Wang said, “At that point, I mainly wanted to take control of the point myself, doing something different and offensive. When you have a match point, you should be bolder in executing what you want. If I had played that ball normally without coming to the net, the outcome might have been different.”
With this victory, Wang has now reached the round of 32 at a Grand Slam on clay, hard, and grass courts. She expressed her joy not just for the win but also for her progress: “Today, my opponent didn’t play that well in the first set, but she improved in the second. I was able to match her and raise my level, which is encouraging. In previous matches, when opponents raised their game, I sometimes couldn’t follow, so this is a breakthrough for me.”
Wang admitted, “Two years ago at the US Open, I said I didn’t want to play tennis anymore. I was forced to try many things, my body wasn’t in great shape, and my confidence was low. I didn’t win much then, feeling a lot of pressure and making mistakes. But I learned from those experiences and grew. Since last year, I’ve been able to focus solely on playing, without other distractions.”
Advancing to the third round, Wang will face British player Dart, currently ranked world No. 100, who narrowly won a third-set tiebreak against compatriot Boulter. Wang commented, “I remember playing her once before in Australia. Grass is her favorite surface, and she fought hard for the win today, so she’ll definitely be confident. For me, it’s about continuing to enjoy the match and focusing on my own serve. Playing on Centre Court would be fantastic, but if it’s on this court, that’s great too.”
(Written by Felix)
