Wang Xinyu Reflects on Reaching the Australian Open Round of 16: Growth is More Valuable Than Winning or Losing

In the fourth round of the Australian Open, Wang Xinyu lost 6-7, 4-6 to the formidable Anisimova, concluding her journey in the last 16. Despite not progressing further, this challenging battle offered her valuable lessons, including tactical exchanges on court, personal technical and mental growth, and the backing from her team, all of which are important foundations in her career.

Wang Xinyu Attends Post-Match Press Conference

Speaking about the match, Wang Xinyu admitted her opponent’s performance was outstanding: “She was really tough to handle, serving and returning very well, especially during the first set tiebreak and the crucial points at the start of the second set, where she executed perfectly.” She highlighted the opponent’s stable and precise first serve, which limited her attacking chances, “At those critical moments, she showed strong aggression, which was key to her winning the match. I think she deserves full credit.” Throughout the match, Wang maintained a positive competitive mindset, “I stayed aggressive on court today, and as you could see, both of us tried to put pressure on each other in the first two shots, because whoever controls that point gains a big advantage.”

This defeat does not overshadow Wang Xinyu’s recent growth and breakthroughs. During the off-season, she boldly adjusted her serve and backhand techniques, and her impressive results in January gave her strong psychological affirmation. “I have to praise myself for being open to change and not afraid to try new things.” She shared her insights on growth: “When learning something new or making changes, you can’t have the mindset of ‘I already know a bit’ — you have to start from scratch and try whatever is asked of you to truly gain from it.” Over the past two years, she has made breakthroughs at events like the US Open, Wimbledon, and Berlin, even defeating higher-ranked players. Now her goal is clearer: “Our aim is to become a consistently performing player, maintaining strength at that level.” In crucial matches, it is her aggressiveness and initiative that help her overcome challenges, which will continue to be her focus moving forward.

Wang Xinyu’s path of growth is inseparable from the strong support of her team, especially coaches Zheng Saisai and foreign coach Goran Tosic. Years of collaboration with Zheng Saisai have brought a qualitative leap in her tactical awareness and rhythm adjustment. “At first, I didn’t understand tactics or rhythm on court; I played very subjectively, just focusing on my own game,” Wang recalled. “Saisai helped me realize tennis is a two-player sport, and sometimes you need to observe your opponent and adjust your style accordingly.” What she values even more is that her coach shares a mindset of mutual growth: “Although Saisai is my coach, she also believes she can always learn and improve. We grow together, not just her instructing me.” Foreign coach Goran Tosic gives her ample freedom to express herself, “They want me to have space to play what I want on court.” Regarding pre-match tactics, Wang said the team has made some adjustments this year, often allowing her to make decisions on the spot, “Only when something is very obvious do they give advice, or I share my ideas and we discuss together.”

Even though she lost this match, Wang Xinyu gained joy beyond the result. “I used to get stuck wondering why I had to learn the same things for so long, then panic when situations changed on court, and let emotions affect my performance,” she admitted. Now her mindset has shifted significantly: “I no longer judge whether the previous point was good or bad, I just focus on the present and think about what to do next.” This maturity allows her to handle the ups and downs of matches more calmly and clearly see areas where she can continue to improve.

Next, Wang Xinyu will take a short break to rest and adjust before participating as planned in the February Romania 250 indoor tournament and the Middle East 1000 event. “I really enjoy indoor matches; it’s rare to have one, and my physical condition is good. There are many big tournaments coming up, so it’s not yet time to rest.” With the lessons and insights gained from the Australian Open, along with the support of her team and her own growth, Wang Xinyu is steadily advancing on her tennis journey, with a promising future ahead.

(Text by Felix, Photos by Huang Shangyue)