China’s rising tennis star Wang Xinyu has stormed into her first-ever Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles final at the Berlin Open, showcasing remarkable form on grass courts. The 23-year-old defeated Russia’s World No. 20 Liudmila Samsonova in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1, in a commanding semifinal performance on Saturday.
The match began with both players exchanging early breaks. Wang overcame initial nerves to regain composure, breaking back immediately after losing serve mid-set. Her resilience paid off as she secured the first set 6-4.
Building on her momentum, Wang dominated the second set with aggressive returns and consistent baseline play. Samsonova struggled to find her rhythm, committing unforced errors that allowed Wang to seal the victory with a dominant 6-1 second set.
“This week has been a dream for me. I’ve been playing unbelievable tennis here,” Wang said in a post-match interview. “Coming into every match, I wasn’t expecting anything. For me, it was really just to enjoy the stage.”
Wang’s impressive run in Berlin includes victories over top-ranked players. She navigated two rounds of qualifying before defeating World No. 16 Daria Kasatkina and World No. 2 Coco Gauff, marking her first career win against a top-two player. In the quarterfinals, she advanced after leading 6-1 when World No. 10 Paula Badosa retired due to injury.
Her string of upsets highlights Wang’s rising status on the WTA Tour. She now prepares to face Czech Republic’s Marketa Vondrousova in Sunday’s final. Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, secured her spot by defeating World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, 6-2, 6-4.
The upcoming final promises to be an exciting clash as Wang aims to capture her maiden WTA title and continue her breakthrough season.
