The inspiring tennis girl was forced to retire from the match, and Wang Xinyu has reached the semifinals of a tour event for the tenth time—can she finally claim her first title?

Following the key battle against the most motivational tennis player, Jones, Wang Xinyu enjoyed two good fortunes: making it to the tour semifinals for the tenth time and reaching the semifinals in her debut event of the new season.

Prior to the match between Wang Xinyu and Jones, many outside observers considered it an evenly matched duel where either competitor could emerge victorious.

Although Wang Xinyu, the graceful player, had just snapped a six-match losing streak in Auckland and won two consecutive matches with growing confidence and momentum, Jones’s upset of the second seed Navarro to reach the quarterfinals showed that the British player was also in excellent form.

Therefore, in response to some who said that Jones’s victory over Navarro might have cleared the path for Wang Xinyu’s advancement, some fans and netizens disagreed, cautioning that Wang must be very careful facing the British player. Their reasoning was that since Jones could defeat Navarro, she was equally capable of beating Wang Xinyu. They also predicted the match would be fiercely contested, likely going to three sets, so Wang needed to be fully prepared, or else an upset could disappoint her supporters.

However, once the two officially faced off, those who had worried about Wang Xinyu before the match breathed a sigh of relief, as Jones clearly was no match for her.

Although the British player still challenged Wang Xinyu with fearless determination similar to her fight against Navarro, her overly one-dimensional tactics and lack of shot quality and consistency were not enough against Wang, which explained why, when Wang took a 2-0 lead early on and dominated the match, everyone finally relaxed.

Another reason for the growing confidence in Wang Xinyu’s chances was that Jones appeared to struggle in every service game, frequently allowing Wang to create break opportunities easily.

Thus, when Wang took the first set 6-4, many fans and viewers in the live chat were already declaring victory for her before the second set began, saying, “The inspirational girl simply can’t beat China’s number two.”

Still, some held opposing views, believing that based on Jones’s fierce fighting spirit against Navarro, she would surely fight back hard in the second set even if ultimately defeated, making it very challenging for Wang Xinyu to win comfortably.

This belief was reinforced when both players exchanged breaks at the start of the second set, showing neither was willing to give ground.

It was expected that after Wang took a 4-3 lead, the match would reach its peak amid Jones’s resilience, but unexpectedly, the British player retired due to injury, leaving fans and viewers stunned by such an unforeseen conclusion. While a comeback seemed difficult for Jones, nobody anticipated the match would end with her withdrawal.

After defeating Jones, Wang Xinyu gained two major benefits: first, she reached the semifinals in her first tournament of the new season, validating her decision to switch from the Brisbane 500 event to the Auckland 250; second, by earning 98 ranking points, she improved her position to 51st, just one step away from re-entering the top 50.

Moreover, reaching the semifinals in Auckland marked Wang Xinyu’s tenth time reaching this stage in a tour event. Fans and netizens described this as “perfect ten” and sparked an interesting question: could this positive momentum help her claim her first career title?

Wang Xinyu’s first tour semifinal came in Prague in 2021. From that year until her Auckland semifinal in 2026, she reached semifinals nine times in places like Hua Hin, Osaka, Wuhan, Berlin, Cleveland, and Singapore. Except for Berlin, where she made the final and finished runner-up, she was stopped short of finals in all other events, delaying her first career title and causing some impatience among her supporters.

Now, with another shot at her maiden title in Auckland this new season, many believe that after enduring so many hardships and refining her game in big tournaments, Wang Xinyu’s mindset has matured. At this critical moment, she is unlikely to miss this golden opportunity, and her chances of winning her first career title are high.

Some say Wang Xinyu has already secured China’s first tour semifinal of the new season, and if she ultimately wins the Auckland 250 and heads to Melbourne as champion, it will boost her motivation to break through the third-round barrier at the Australian Open, transforming her into a brand-new rising star ready to bring fresh surprises!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River’s Starry Sky)