Wang Xinyu's exit shows leadership performance falling short, as the 21-year-old young man makes history again as China's tennis flagbearer.

The matches of China's No. 2 Wang Xinyu and Hong Kong's young player Wong Chak-lam have concluded. Though the results were not very satisfactory, a one-win-one-loss outcome is still a significant surprise for Chinese tennis!

Wang Xinyu went up against Russian star Alexandrova, and Wong faced Australian top player Walton. The pre-match predictions, reflected in bookmakers’ odds, showed that Chinese players were overwhelmingly underestimated. This caused fans and netizens to worry whether Chinese players would completely vanish from the singles stage after the US Open second round.

The match between Wang Xinyu and the Russian star, although Wang was the underdog against this seeded US Open player, her leading head-to-head record of 2-1 still gave some hope that she might pull off a surprise.

However, losing her first service game in the opening set and being dominated by Alexandrova’s fierce fighting spirit immediately made fans in the live chat feel Wang’s situation was grim. Although Wang fought hard to keep the match close, she eventually lost the first set 2-6.

After securing the first set, the Russian’s desire to finish the match quickly became more obvious. Alexandrova intensified her attacks before Wang could recover, completely overwhelming China’s No. 2. Winning the second set 6-2, she ended the match and eliminated Wang, the last mainland Chinese singles player, causing the entire eight-member mainland Chinese tennis squad to be wiped out at this year’s US Open.

Following Wang Xinyu’s defeat, fans and netizens in the live broadcast reacted calmly, with some bluntly stating the reason: she simply couldn’t win!

Some even said that Wang’s comeback in the first round seemed partly lucky, and facing a stronger Russian star, it was inevitable that a less consistent Wang would lose.

Just how poor was Wang Xinyu’s performance against Alexandrova?

She failed to hold any of her service games in the first set, and the two games she won were entirely due to her opponent’s errors, clearly showing how weak Wang’s performance and serve were. Against a skilled opportunist like Alexandrova, lacking a reliable serve made the match impossible to win, which is why many in the live chat predicted Wang’s bleak outlook as early as the first set.

Additionally, Wang made a serious mistake: her serve was off, and she lacked enough patience during rallies. In contrast, Alexandrova played steadily and consistently, with both form and serve on point. This made Wang’s situation increasingly difficult, turning victory into an unrealistic hope.

Some say what sets top players apart is their ability to win even when not at their best, because they know how to avoid risks and patiently seek opportunities. From this perspective, Wang still has work to do to become a top player and truly take on the role of leading Chinese tennis: “Her first leadership performance fell short.”

On a positive note, 21-year-old Hong Kong player Wong Chak-lam delivered an inspiring surprise after the mainland players were all eliminated in singles. Facing Australian Walton, who is ranked much higher, Wong withstood immense pressure and shocked everyone by winning after a four-set battle.

In the match against Walton, Wong started off behind in the first set. When the Australian reached 5-3, almost everyone believed Wong had no chance to come back against Walton’s dominance.

Unexpectedly, the Hong Kong player pulled off a stunning comeback, not only leveling the score but also narrowly winning the tiebreak against Walton.

This early momentum immediately boosted Wong’s confidence and overshadowed Walton, dealing a psychological blow to the Australian, which was reflected in Wong limiting Walton to just two games in the second set.

Though Walton raised his level to take the third set 6-4, in the crucial fourth set Wong capitalized on his opponent’s pressure-induced lapses, seizing the opportunity to finish the match 6-4. This victory lifted the gloom of Wang Xinyu’s exit and brought joy to fans and netizens, who warmly applauded him.

After winning, Wong was visibly emotional, showing disbelief at his triumph over Walton. While this win might not mean much to others, for the 21-year-old Hong Kong player and Hong Kong tennis, it is historic: the first time achieving two consecutive wins at a Grand Slam.

Wong will face Russian star Rublev in the third round. Regardless of the final outcome, it no longer matters, as Wong has already made new history for himself and Hong Kong tennis. Winning is a bonus, and losing will not diminish his pride!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moonlit River Sky)