Wang Xinyu Stuns French Open Champion Gauff in Straight Sets

Aryna Sabalenka secured her spot in the Berlin Open quarter-finals with a 6-2, 7-6(6) victory over Rebeka Masarova of Switzerland on Thursday. Their match, which had been previously halted on Wednesday due to slick court conditions, saw Sabalenka advance after a hard-fought contest.

However, Coco Gauff, the reigning French Open champion, faced an unexpected setback, succumbing to Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu in a 6-3, 6-3 defeat. This loss marks a disappointing start to her grass court season, occurring just a couple of weeks prior to Wimbledon.

Sabalenka, representing Belarus, returned to the court for the first time since her loss to Gauff in the French Open final nearly two weeks prior. She held a one-set advantage when play was suspended on Wednesday evening, as tournament officials cited increasing humidity after sunset as the reason for the dangerous court conditions.

Upon resumption on Thursday, Sabalenka, aged 27, experienced an early setback, getting her serve broken at the beginning of the second set, placing her at a 3-1 and then 4-2 deficit.

Maintaining her composure, she retaliated with a well-executed volley, breaking back and forcing a tiebreak.

Sabalenka let two match points slip away before clinching the win when her rival’s forehand landed in the net.

The top-seeded Sabalenka is now set to compete against Elena Rybakina from Kazakhstan in the next round.

Gauff, following her triumph in Paris, appeared uneasy on the slippery surface. She was broken in the seventh game, with Wang seizing the set after Gauff’s double fault on deuce and a subsequent dropshot that failed to clear the net on set point.

The two-time Grand Slam champion managed to break Wang’s serve to take a 3-1 lead in the second set. However, Wang showcased superior play, capitalizing on Gauff’s errors to secure five consecutive games and claim a straight-sets victory.

“After securing the first set, I allowed myself a moment to enjoy the accomplishment,” Wang mentioned. “I was genuinely pleased with my performance, and I applied significant pressure on her.”

“I appreciated my ability to persevere during challenging moments,” Wang added, who is scheduled to face Paula Badosa of Spain in her next match.

In another match, Marketa Vondrousova from the Czech Republic, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, endured a grueling three-set battle lasting two hours and 20 minutes to overcome Diana Shnaider of Russia.

Vondrousova, who had a commanding 6-5 and 30-0 lead in the second set, ultimately prevailed with a 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-3 victory. She will now face Ons Jabeur, a two-time Wimbledon finalist, in the quarter-finals.