Chinese player Wang Yafan fell in straight sets to the 12th seed Keys in the second round of the 2024 Wimbledon Women’s Singles, ending her run at the prestigious tournament.
Reflecting on the match, Wang acknowledged that Keys was the better player throughout: “I was under pressure throughout the entire match and didn’t really have many chances to fight back. At the start, her balls were so fast that I often felt rushed, and her rhythm and shots made it difficult for me.
In the second set, there were some fluctuations in her backhand, but even when I had opportunities to take control, I didn’t execute well.
Whenever my shots were short or slow, she would capitalize and score. Against opponents like her, you don’t get many opportunities; you have to create your own, but those might only come once or twice.”
For this Wimbledon campaign, Wang Yafan’s husband and mother-in-law accompanied her, but the Chinese tennis star mentioned that he doesn’t join every tournament, striking a balance between personal life and supporting her on tour: “He enjoys playing too, and if he comes with me, he can’t play, which might make him feel like he doesn’t have his own time. So, sometimes letting him do what he wants is a good option as well.”
The news of Zheng Jie competing in the Wimbledon Legends event has excited fans, and Wang, who has a good relationship with Zheng, looks forward to reuniting with her at the All England Club: “They arrive tomorrow, and we should meet then. We’ll see about having dinner together depending on our schedules.”
After the grass court season concludes, Wang revealed that she will return home for a break before participating in tournaments held in the United States.
