China’s Wang Xinyu faced a tough defeat against Zeynep Sonmez of Türkiye, falling 7-5, 7-5 in the women’s singles second round at Wimbledon on Thursday. The match, held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, saw both players battling fiercely with multiple breaks of serve.
In the first set, the two competitors exchanged breaks until Sonmez secured the lead. The second set remained tight as they reached a 5-5 tie. Sonmez then elevated her game, playing more aggressively to clinch the victory and advance to the round of 32.
“I think she played exceptionally well today, especially in her service returns and baseline game. I didn’t get any easy points,” Wang said after the match. “Of course, I feel it’s a great pity. Even though my opponent played really well, our match was very close, and there were some areas where I feel I could have done better. But today, I did the best I could.”
Wang, 23, recently shone at the Berlin Open, reaching her first Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour final. However, she was unable to maintain that momentum at the grass-court Grand Slam.
For Sonmez, also 23, the win marks her best Grand Slam result to date as she moves into the round of 32.
Swiatek Fights Back to Defeat McNally
In another gripping match, Iga Swiatek overcame a challenging start to defeat American Caty McNally 5-7, 6-2, 6-1. McNally, ranked world No. 208, looked poised for an upset after taking the first set from the five-time Grand Slam champion.
Swiatek, demonstrating resilience, adjusted her strategy and increased her aggression in the following sets. “I started the match well, so I knew that my game was there,” Swiatek said. “I knew that at the start of the second set I had to be more accurate. I just tried to improve, and I’m happy it worked.”
With this victory, Swiatek advances to the third round, where she will face American Danielle Collins.
