On July 2nd local time, the second day of the 2024 Wimbledon kicked off with Chinese player Wang Xinyu defeating Tsvetana Tomova 7-6(4)/3-6/6-0, securing her spot in the round of 64 for the second consecutive year. She will next face No. 5 seed Jessica Pegula in the second round.
Wang Xinyu
Tomova is a familiar foe for Wang, with the pair having played each other four times previously, including twice this season on clay, with Wang coming out on top at both Madrid and Roland Garros.
The match saw twists and turns. After an early break, Wang fought back, breaking and holding to level the score at 4-4. Both players broke serve again towards the end of the set, leading to a tense tiebreak, which Wang won 7-4. Rain interrupted the match in the second set, allowing Tomova to seize the momentum with a crucial break in the sixth game, winning 6-3 to square the match. In the decisive third set, Wang regained her composure and dominated, winning six straight games to seal a 6-0 victory.
Pegula displayed fine form in her first-round match, cruising past fellow American Kristie Ahn 6-2/6-0. This will be the first encounter between Wang and Pegula. Pegula has shown strong grass court abilities this season, winning the singles title at the WTA 500 Berlin event. How will Wang fare against another top-10 opponent? We await their clash with anticipation.
(Written and edited by Fei Wang)
