Wang Xinyu defeats Noskova to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open for the first time: breakthroughs in both serving and mindset

In the hot conditions of Melbourne, Chinese rising star Wang Xinyu battled hard to beat Czech competitor Noskova 7-5, 6-4, marking her debut in the Australian Open round of 16. Post-match, she reflected on numerous lessons learned, highlighting her development in facing strong rivals and managing her own performance.

Discussing the crucial factors behind her win, Wang Xinyu admitted her opponent remained very strong. “The last time I played her, it was a tough match, and she played well again today; her shots were as fast as I remembered.” She confessed that the initial exchanges after serving and returning put considerable pressure on her “because her pace was so fast.” However, after securing her first break point in the opening set, Wang keenly spotted an opening: “When her first serve wasn’t landing often, I could apply significant pressure.” She stuck to this tactic throughout, “trying to put as much pressure as possible on her second serve,” and ultimately clinched the win through precise execution of this strategy.

Long rallies in the intense heat were a highlight of the match. Wang Xinyu won all 7 points that lasted 9 shots or more, demonstrating remarkable endurance and adaptability. “Her shots are very flat and fast, which isn’t my favorite style to face, but today I managed to break through,” she said. She explained that during the match, she gradually found ways to handle such shots, all based on a stable serving performance: “The most critical part was the serve. I didn’t get into passive situations on my serve, which allowed me to engage in rallies and take control.”

During the match, the bandage on Wang Xinyu’s thigh drew attention to her physical condition. She explained, “There’s no new injury; it’s just that the schedule has been very tight these past weeks, playing many matches, so my body feels a bit fatigued.” She revealed that she has been actively doing rehab and recovery exercises, “and wearing the bandage during the match was just to protect myself, it didn’t affect my movement.”

Since January 2026, Wang Xinyu has achieved an impressive 8 wins and 2 losses, earning widespread praise online for her improvement. Reflecting on her progress, she has a clear understanding: “The main thing is that I now know better how I want to play and what kind of player I want to be. I also have a clearer self-awareness.” She gave an example, saying that targeted training has increased the speed of her second serve, and her daily serving practice not only sharpened her technique but also helped her view match fluctuations objectively. “Now, even if I make one or two mistakes in a game, I don’t panic or blame myself. For instance, today after losing a break point and then regaining it, I thought it was normal and didn’t overthink it.”

Notably, during this Australian Open run, Wang Xinyu hit a total of 21 aces across three matches, showing significant improvement in her serving. “Wow, that’s a lot!” she exclaimed with delight upon hearing the statistic. When discussing her serving progress, she emphasized the importance of accuracy: “Sometimes speed isn’t the most important. Even if the serve is very fast, if the placement is off, it won’t work. Everyone is improving quickly in this area nowadays, and I’ve focused a lot on precision.”

This marks Wang Xinyu’s third time reaching the round of 16 in a Grand Slam, following appearances at the US Open and Wimbledon. Compared to those experiences, this Australian Open journey holds a different significance. “This time, I faced more challenging opponents, so it was quite different from the previous two,” she said. Overcoming such strong competitors and navigating various difficulties during the matches has not only brought her greater satisfaction but also built up her confidence.

Reaching the Australian Open last 16 for the first time proves Wang Xinyu’s strength and her continuous self-breakthroughs. Next, she will compete against American star and fourth seed Anisimova for a spot in the quarterfinals.

(Text by Felix, photos by Huang Shangyue)