Wu Yibing achieved a surprising breakthrough into the TOP 200 rankings, while Wang Xinyu made a remarkable comeback, defeating a local player.

Following the matches between Wu Yibing and Wang Xinyu, fans and netizens highlighted three words in their discussions about these two intense battles: didn't expect that!

After defeating the French veteran Monfils in the first round of the Washington 500 tournament, many assumed that Wu Yibing's journey would come to an end upon facing the Australian player Poprin in the second round.

In addition to Poprin's title as a Masters champion, the two had faced each other in Adelaide in 2023, where Wu Yibing lost to the Australian after a tough three-set battle.

Poprin had an advantage in overall strength, and with the psychological edge from their previous encounter, facing such a tough opponent was a significant challenge for Wu Yibing. Some said, "Unless Yibing performs exceptionally well and Poprin gives him chances, pulling off an upset seems nearly impossible."

However, after the match, which lasted 2 hours and 37 minutes, Wu Yibing not only avoided elimination but also defeated the tenth seed Poprin, causing a major upset in the second round of Washington, leaving everyone surprised and delighted.

Looking back at this match, the duel between Wu Yibing and Poprin perfectly embodied the characteristics of men's tennis: intense and fast-paced! Fans and netizens vividly compared it to an absolute thrill ride.

The fast-paced exchanges right from the start elevated the excitement of the match to its peak in the first set.

Seeing Wu Yibing choose to fiercely compete with Poprin during the first eleven games made it clear that the former Chinese number one was unwilling to let public opinion dictate his fate; he wanted to take control of his destiny and was fighting hard to see if he could turn things around through his efforts.

Wu Yibing’s determination finally paid off in the 12th game of the first set, where he created two set points during Poprin's service game. The way the former Chinese number one converted these set points was quite impressive, breaking through with a Return Ace to win the first set 7-5.

From a balanced contest to an unexpected slip at a crucial moment, the outcome was clearly difficult for Poprin to accept, which was evident when he ramped up his offensive pressure on Wu Yibing at the start of the second set.

Poprin's desire for revenge allowed him to break Wu Yibing first in the second set, ultimately returning the favor with a 7-5 win in that set. After two sets, the match was tied.

At this stage of the match, after witnessing Wu Yibing's performance, no one in the live stream believed, as they had before, that the former Chinese number one had no chance of winning. The reasoning was: he was in good form, handling crucial points well, and with his willingness to take risks, the match seemed evenly poised at 50-50.

What is truly admirable about Wu Yibing is that in the decisive third set, after battling intensely in the first two sets and showing signs of fatigue, he not only withstood Poprin's pressure but also capitalized on Poprin's drop in form and impatience at critical moments, seizing the opportunity to finish decisively at 6-3, securing a spot in the top 16 of the Washington 500 tournament.

From being underestimated before the match to causing a major upset in Washington, Wu Yibing's surprising performance earned him applause from countless fans.

This significant upset not only marked Wu Yibing's first back-to-back victories in the main draw since his return but also propelled him back into the TOP 200 of the world rankings, currently positioned at 186.

After delivering an astonishing performance in Washington, Wang Xinyu also secured victory in Prague, advancing to the quarterfinals, allowing both players to synchronize their progress once again.

However, what surprised many was that Wang Xinyu's victory was not as smooth as expected. The Chinese number two faced the Czech player Havlíčková, ranked 838 in the world, and won in a rather hard-fought manner.

After witnessing Wang Xinyu's dominant performance in the first round, where she swept Darter in two sets, everyone assumed that facing a newcomer ranked outside the top 800 would be a straightforward match for her.

Yet, from the very first game of the first set, Wang Xinyu encountered significant trouble. After barely holding her serve, it became clear that Havlíčková's true abilities were not reflected in her ranking, making her a tough opponent. Especially after Wang Xinyu lost the first set 3-6, this realization deepened.

Fortunately, starting from the second set, Wang Xinyu utilized her extensive tournament experience to change her strategy, employing a fast pace to suppress the Czech player's momentum, winning the second set 7-5.

Initially, it seemed that Wang Xinyu would quickly secure victory in the deciding set, but unexpectedly, while leading 5-3, she was pushed into a tiebreak by Havlíčková. If it weren't for the sudden collapse of the Czech player, who led 5-2 in the tiebreak, allowing Wang Xinyu to turn the tables and win, fans wouldn't have seen her interact with Wu Yibing through this victory.

In a situation where she had the upper hand, Havlíčková broke down in tears after being reversed by Wang Xinyu. But what could she do? Victory always belongs to those who persevere, and this lesson was one she needed to learn.

With both Wu Yibing and Wang Xinyu advancing simultaneously, their challenges will continue. Wang Xinyu will face the winner between local player Belek and eighth seed Parks, while the former Chinese number one will compete against Medvedev or Opelka for a quarterfinal spot. Can they continue to interact through victories? We shall see!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River's Starry Sky)