Wang Xinyu shocks Iga Swiatek at WTCC
Something unexpected happened today at the WTCC tournament in Shenzhen, as world No. 57 Wang Xinyu defeated world No. 2 Iga Swiatek in straight sets.
The Chinese player produced one of the biggest surprises of the World Tennis Continental Cup, beating Swiatek 6-2, 6-3 in front of a home crowd.
Swiatek had looked sharp just a day earlier after beating reigning WTA Finals champion Elena Rybakina 6-3, 6-3, but she struggled to find her rhythm with Wang. There were more unforced errors than usual from the Polish star, while Wang stayed solid, confident, and aggressive when it mattered.
The two players had met once before at the 2023 French Open, where Swiatek dominated with a 6-0, 6-0 win. This time, however, the roles were completely reversed.
A Polish tennis account summed up the match in a post that was originally written in Polish:
“Iga Świątek has completed her second appearance in Shenzhen.
Today, our representative had to acknowledge the superiority of Xinyu Wang. The Chinese player played a very good match and deservedly defeated the Pole 6-2, 6-3.
During Saturday’s match, we saw more errors in the play of the world No. 2…”
The result was even more impressive, considering Wang had lost to Belinda Bencic earlier in the tournament. Against Swiatek, she raised her level and made the most of the opportunity.
Despite the defeat, Swiatek remained a fan favourite in Shenzhen and received a warm reception from the crowd after the match.
Commentator Marcus Buckland noted:
“A surprise defeat today for Iga Swiatek at the hands of Wang Xinyu in the World Tennis Continental Cup but she is, without doubt, the most popular player here in Shenzhen.”
Swiatek still has one more appearance at the WTCC. On Sunday, the final day of the event, she will play a mixed doubles match alongside Valentin Vacherot against Elena Rybakina and Andrey Rublev.
