Chinese tennis star Wang Xinyu’s Italian Open journey ended early Wednesday after a 6-3, 6-2 loss to Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova—an unexpected twist in what became a battle of quick adjustments. 🎾
Originally set to face 2019 Wimbledon champ Marketa Vondrousova, Wang learned *hours before the match* that her opponent would switch to Rakhimova due to Vondrousova’s shoulder injury. Talk about a plot twist! 😮
Despite beating Rakhimova earlier this year in Adelaide, Wang struggled to find her rhythm in Rome. The pair traded breaks early in both sets, but Rakhimova’s aggressive play clinched key moments. Wang briefly rallied in the second set, but the Russian sealed victory in just 92 minutes. ⏱️
Next up for Rakhimova? A clash with 10th-seeded Emma Navarro of the U.S.—a rematch tennis fans won’t want to miss. 👀
