Wu Yibing: Cramping in the final set, originally anticipated to face Sinner in the third round

On January 22, Chinese player Wu Yibing lost to American Spizzirri in the second round of the Australian Open men’s singles. Although he suffered cramps in the final set, he persevered through this lengthy five-set match until the very last moment, then lay down on the court for treatment, which was heart-wrenching to witness.

Wu Yibing leaving the court after the match

Wu Yibing mounted a comeback after dropping the first two sets, displaying tenacity to even the score, but ultimately fell short in the deciding set. In a post-match interview, he revealed that his body was generally fine except for cramping in the final set, and that drinking pickle juice afterward helped relieve the symptoms significantly.

Recalling the moment, Wu Yibing said: “At 2-3 in the fifth set while serving, I felt a slight strain in my waist as I landed. Then I didn’t stabilize properly on the serve, and my right leg started cramping, followed by my abdominal muscles. It felt like the cramps fully took over. I gave everything I had in those last two games of the fifth set, but it was really unfortunate, just a little short of breaking through. When you expend so much energy trying to achieve something and just miss it, it kind of backfires, and I got a bit nervous during my service games.”

Wu Yibing falls while saving a point in the deciding set

Looking back further, Wu admitted his poor performance in the first two sets was due to mental issues: “I don’t think I was fully focused on the match mentally. I don’t know why, but I kept complaining and was quite negative emotionally. To become a top player, I can afford to have lapses sometimes, but what happened today really shouldn’t have.”

Wu Yibing quickly identified the cause of his negative mindset, explaining that he was very eager to face Sinner in the third round and considered today a match he ‘should win,’ which affected his performance.

Wu Yibing during the interview

“Maybe I saw this as a great opportunity to compete against one of the world’s best players (Sinner) in the next round. Since my comeback, I’ve been especially determined to seize chances and face higher-level opponents. It’s not that I lack confidence in my skills or tactics, but my mindset in the first two sets was different from usual. This is something I need to keep learning from and reflecting on.”

Regarding Sinner, Wu commented: “He definitely has a better serve than me, and he’s over ten centimeters taller. Even if I were that much taller, I’m not sure I’d have his speed and rhythm.” Speaking about both Sinner and Alcaraz, Wu stated that talent is the main reason they have reached their current heights: “These two top young players may not have the most experience compared to older players, but I believe talent matters more than effort. Without talent, no matter how hard you try, you won’t reach the top.”

(Editor: Wang Fei)