Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai continue their championship drought after losing a promising match, while Raducanu suffers a whitewash and apologizes post-match.

After Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai’s doubles final in Cluj, a harsh comment emerged from the public: professional players performed at an amateur level during critical moments!

After Wang Xinyu’s singles loss dashed her hopes for a maiden career title, the doubles pairing with Zheng Saisai was highly anticipated. Before the match, fans joked about the “Saiyou” sisters, saying now that Wang Xinyu was free from singles, Zheng Saisai would surely give her all to help clinch the doubles crown, making up for the singles disappointment.

However, the loud cheers everyone expected never came; instead, the narrative shifted to one of frustration: “The process was hard to accept.” Waves of disappointment poured in relentlessly.

Although Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai weren’t guaranteed victory against Rashimova and Tomova, their strong start gave the impression they were determined to claim the title.

For example, they aggressively took a 4-2 lead early in the first set. Given Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai’s excellent coordination and performance, everyone watching the live stream believed the first set was theirs without question.

Unexpectedly, as the match progressed, the “Saiyou” sisters seemed to hesitate, as if winning too easily would feel unfair, and they had to create some drama. Eventually, Rashimova and Tomova pushed the set into a tiebreak, turning what seemed like an easy first-set win into a suspenseful thriller.

Dramatically, during the tiebreak, the opposing duo even gave the “Saiyou” sisters chances to close out the set, but those set points were squandered. Then, at critical moments, both Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai made fatal errors, gifts that Rashimova and Tomova gladly accepted, pulling off a tense comeback to win the first set.

The second set unfolded similarly to the first. After shaking off the first-set loss, Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai quickly surged to a dream start with a 3-0 lead.

Just when everyone thought the match would go to a decisive third set, the “Saiyou” sisters suddenly faltered again, unexpectedly dropping six consecutive games and ultimately losing the match without winning a single game in the second set. They could only watch helplessly as Rashimova and Tomova celebrated their championship, regret flooding their hearts too late to change anything.

After the match, many bluntly said it felt like Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai weren’t really competing for the title, but rather playing a friendly exhibition, starting strong for two sets like possessed warriors before steadily declining and losing in a way that left people speechless.

Since winning in Berlin in 2024, the “Saiyou” sisters have endured nearly two years without a title. This Cluj 250 tournament was a prime chance to break that streak, but unexpectedly, Zheng Saisai and Wang Xinyu squandered a strong position and lost the championship, leaving outsiders puzzled: how could professionals show amateur-level play at such crucial moments? It’s heartbreaking to think about.

Similarly, another shocking defeat was suffered by the British player Raducanu.

After 1,609 days, Raducanu finally reached her second career final. Facing Romanian veteran Costea, the British player was favored due to her youth at 23 compared to the 35-year-old Costea, and having waited five years for a shot at a second career title, Raducanu was not expected to miss such an opportunity.

When Costea sealed the match with a 6-0, 6-2 victory in just 63 minutes, viewers in the live stream expressed disbelief, saying, “Someone pinch me to confirm this score isn’t a hallucination.”

Although everyone knew Raducanu wouldn’t easily claim the title, few expected her to lose so decisively without winning a single game. Some fans joked that even if Costea is retiring, Raducanu should have chosen a different occasion to be so lenient; missing such a golden chance means she may have to wait a long time for another.

Costea’s reaction after winning was also notable; she admitted that everything felt like a dream and she couldn’t believe she was holding the champion’s trophy.

Losing in such a manner, Raducanu was visibly disappointed and apologized to the public, saying, “Sorry, I wasn’t able to show my best today.”

When fans and netizens reviewed these two matches, their conclusions were quite interesting: previously, Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai’s loss seemed unbearable, but after seeing Raducanu’s even more shocking defeat, people felt less frustrated. At least the “Saiyou” sisters had moments of hope, while the British player was dominated throughout, performing poorly and losing her chance from the start.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moonlit River Starry Sky)