Facing "break points" in life: A tale of resilience at Australian Open

by sportswriter Wang Zijiang

MELBOURNE, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Australian Open ended in another heartbreak for Wang Xinyu, who, after leading 8-6 in the match tiebreak with partner Zheng Saisai, ultimately lost 10-8 in the deciding set of their women's doubles third-round match.

The loss echoed her recent mixed doubles final defeat at the Paris Olympics.

"Another 8-6," Wang said, disappointment evident. "We were serving at the end, and we should have paused to rethink our strategy. But at that moment, I just wanted to finish the match quickly."

Zheng, participating in her seventh Australian Open, took responsibility for their exit. "I had many opportunities, but I couldn't seize a single one. In the tiebreak, I didn't even score," she admitted.

Their exit was especially tough since both had already suffered first-round singles losses - Wang to Spanish 11th seed Paula Badosa, and Zheng to Russia's Erika Andreeva.

Zheng, who spent three years out with injury, brings considerable experience, having once reached a career-high ranking of No. 34. Now ranked No. 681, the 30-year-old acknowledges she must rebuild her confidence following such a painful defeat.

Meanwhile, the 23-year-old Wang has stayed in the world's top 40 for the past two years. She rose to prominence after winning an Olympic mixed doubles silver medal and reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon and the US Open. Yet she still seeks the elusive Olympic gold or a Grand Slam breakthrough - similar to star compatriot Zheng Qinwen, last year's runner-up who suffered a shock second-round defeat this year.

Another Chinese player, Wang Xiyu, just six months older than Wang Xinyu, also had a challenging tournament. She and partner Yulia Putintseva lost a women's doubles first-round match in frustrating fashion. In singles, Wang Xiyu led 4-2 in the final set against eighth seed Emma Navarro but fell short. In doubles, she and Putintseva led 5-2 only to drop five straight games, leaving Wang Xiyu on the verge of tears.

"This is the most frustrating Grand Slam I've played. I was just one step away," she said.

Fans have spotted a worrying pattern in Wang Xiyu's performances, highlighting her struggles to make a decisive breakthrough in both singles and doubles. Once a junior star - winning the US Open girls' singles and Wimbledon girls' doubles titles - Wang Xiyu is coming to terms with the harsh realities of life on the pro tour.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Wang Yuhan faced a similar ordeal in the junior competition. After winning the first set 7-5 and leading 5-0 in the second of her girls' second-round encounter against American Kristina Penickova, she allowed seven consecutive games to slip away and fell short in the deciding set.

Despite the loss, Wang Yuhan remains optimistic. Fluent in English, she has been chatting freely with Australian Open staff while coming to terms with her defeat. "I thought I had the match in hand, but my opponent suddenly played very well, and I panicked. I celebrated too early," she admitted, with tears forming in her eyes.

Among the Chinese contingent, Zhang Shuai had the best performance. Though she exited the singles event early, she reached both the women's and mixed doubles quarterfinals, even celebrating her 36th birthday on the 10th day of the tournament. Known for her resilience, Zhang is an inspiration to younger teammates. She and partner Kristina Mladenovic fought back from 0-4 down to reach the doubles quarterfinals for the first time in six years.

"Winning and losing are both normal in sports," Zhang said. "You can't perform well at every event. Except for the final winner, everyone else experiences defeat."

Before her run to the Australian Open semifinals in 2016, Zhang suffered 14 consecutive first-round exits in Grand Slam events. She also experienced a 24-match losing streak before reaching the quarterfinals of the China Open last year, learning how to stay composed when under pressure.

"Staying in this game for so many years proves that I'm tough enough," she said.

Her coach, Liu Shuo, commended Zhang's persistence, recalling how she often teetered on the brink of collapse but never let adversity defeat her.

Regarding the current struggles facing younger Chinese players, Liu noted, "They haven't experienced enough losses yet. Without failure, you can't truly appreciate victory."

One day after her defeat, Wang Yuhan watched Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai's match, perhaps growing more aware of her own lessons. "I will always remember this loss," she said. "This was my first Grand Slam, and it taught me a valuable lesson. After this experience, I'm optimistic about the future." ■