Voice of Wang Xinyu: I’m Far from My Peak, Ultimate Goal Is a Grand Slam Singles Title

On the evening of July 11th, Beijing time, Wang Xinyu accepted an online group interview with Chinese media, summarizing her journey at Wimbledon and looking forward to her upcoming first Olympic experience in Paris.

Wang Xinyu

At this year’s Wimbledon, Wang Xinyu won consecutive victories over Tomova, Pegula, and Dart, advancing to the round of 16 and creating her best performance at this grass court Grand Slam. This was also her second career advancement to the second week of a Grand Slam singles event (following the 2023 US Open). Moreover, defeating Pegula earned her the first victory against a Top 5 player in her career.

“This is my first such breakthrough at Wimbledon. Winning these three matches was very challenging, especially the second match (against Pegula). I learned a lot from these matches. I’m also glad that when I encountered difficulties, I kept looking for solutions and never gave up.”

The progress Wang Xinyu has made over the past two seasons is evident to all. She has achieved excellent results on clay, hard, and grass courts, and she attributes these breakthroughs to an outstanding team behind her.

Wang Xinyu partnered with Hsieh Su-wei to win the 2023 French Open women’s doubles title.

“Now my team atmosphere is very relaxed and comfortable. The people around me are very positive. They consider things from my perspective, keeping me healthy and in a good state of mind rather than adding more pressure during tough times. They don’t just focus on the results of current matches but help me make continuous progress by starting from daily training and matches.”

Looking ahead to her Olympic journey in Paris, Wang Xinyu expressed great excitement. She not only hopes to bring glory to her country on the field but also looks forward to watching other events live.

“I remember participating in the Youth Olympics and winning the bronze medal with Xi Yu. That was a very unforgettable experience. This time it’s the Olympics, which is certainly even more special. It’s a great honor to represent my country for the first time.” Said Wang Xinyu, “I want to see other sports, like athletics, diving, etc., watch some top athletes compete, and I really want to exchange many pins (Olympic national emblem exchange) with everyone. I think this has great collection value.”

Wang Xinyu, Zheng Saisai

This time, Wang Xinyu will be competing in both singles and doubles. She will partner with Zheng Saisai in the women’s doubles event. The duo had a relatively impressive performance during this year’s clay and grass court seasons. In Wang Xinyu’s view, their partnership possesses certain medal-winning potential.

“Competing in the Olympics is definitely different from regular tours or Grand Slams in terms of mentality, probably closer to the Fed Cup (Billie Jean King Cup), where the pressure is different. Saisai has participated in two Olympics and shared many experiences with me. Starting from Madrid, our results in recent tournaments have been quite good. Our strength is definitely not weak, and we have a chance to compete (for medals), but the most important thing is to do well step by step. When the opportunity comes, you must be prepared to seize it.”

In the past two seasons, due to wrist injuries, Zheng Saisai was unable to participate in competitions. During this period, she provided significant assistance to Wang Xinyu. Wang Xinyu mentioned multiple times in interviews that her arsenal has become increasingly rich, which is undoubtedly inseparable from Zheng Saisai’s meticulous guidance.

“Saisai is not only my partner but also my coach. Because of her injuries, she couldn’t return to the court in these two years, but having her in the team has actually been a great help to me.”

Wang Xinyu wearing an elbow guard during the match

Currently, there are about two weeks before the start of the Olympics. Wang Xinyu stated that she would not rush back to the training court but instead allow her body to recover: “The intensive tennis schedule poses a great challenge to players. This year, we face more surface transitions, and the most important thing is to maintain physical health. I’ve been playing non-stop recently, and my elbow is not in its best condition, so now it’s a good time to adjust and then return to clay for preparation.”

Reflecting on Wang Xinyu’s Grand Slam performances over the past two years, while continuously setting new personal bests, she has significantly improved her stability in major tournaments, leading to rising expectations from fans. Wang Xinyu stated that her ultimate career goal is to win a Grand Slam singles title, but she also needs to give herself more patience and time.

“With the accumulation of match experience, whether winning or losing, I’ve been steadily improving over the past two years, making myself more comprehensive. I’m still growing. Since last year, I’ve been able to win more matches on the tour, getting more opportunities to play against high-ranking players. They are currently more stable than me, which is where I need to improve.”

“My goal is still the Grand Slam (singles) title. First, I need to be patient with myself because, apart from players like Gauff and Rybakina who have quickly risen in rankings, many players have played on the tour for many years before reaching a high level. I believe that I’m not yet at my best tennis. I still have a lot of room for improvement, which is also my advantage. If I can slowly improve my shortcomings in various aspects, I will surely become a top player.”

(Written and edited by Wang Fei)