WTA Charleston: Luck + Skill! Yuan Yue Saves Match Point and Stages a Dramatic Comeback

On March 31 local time, the WTA500 Charleston event commenced its women's singles first-round matches. Two Chinese players made their clay-court season debut. Yuan Yue endured a marathon battle to advance, while Zhang Shuai unfortunately exited in the first round.

Although Yuan Yue was stopped in the final round of qualifying for this tournament, after Mertens withdrew, Yuan entered as a lucky loser. She seized this opportunity, saving one match point in a grueling 3-hour and 13-minute battle against Egypt's top player Sherif, ultimately winning 2-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(5). Her opponent suffered a ninth consecutive tour defeat. Yuan's live ranking rose to No.112, and she will face Italian player Cocciaretto in the second round.

Photo of Yuan Yue

Yuan Yue also had a "lucky journey" at the WTA250 Austin event in late February. At that time, she was also unfortunately eliminated in qualifying but received a last-minute opportunity, entering the main draw as a lucky loser and eventually reaching the quarterfinals. We hope Charleston can also become a favorable ground for Yuan Yue, witnessing this Chinese player achieve more victories.

Photo of Zhang Shuai

Zhang Shuai faced a double match day. In the women's singles first round, she lost 3-6, 0-6 to Starodubtseva. Subsequently, in the women's doubles first round partnering with Krunic, she defeated Sugadi/Zeng Limai 7-6(3), 7-5, advancing to the doubles quarterfinals.

Former US Open champion Andreescu reversed Garfi 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, securing her first WTA tour main draw victory since last July. She will face Kenin in the second round, a clash of Grand Slam champions. The Canadian star's last win at tour-level was at her hometown event eight months ago, the WTA1000 Montreal, where she defeated Krejcikova in the first round but suffered an ankle injury in that match, subsequently requiring a two-month break.

After her comeback, Andreescu suffered five consecutive tour losses across seasons at Beijing, Osaka, Tokyo, Austin, and Indian Wells. However, this season Andreescu rediscovered winning form in lower-level events. She claimed two titles on the ITF circuit in January this year and reached the final at the Austin WTA125K event last month. Over the past ten weeks, her world ranking climbed from No.228 to No.140.

Other first-round winners included Badosa, P. Kudermetova, and Krueger. In the women's singles second-round matches played that day, former tournament champion and third seed Bencic defeated Yastremska 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3, narrowly passing her first clay-court season test. She will face thirteenth seed Burel in the third round. Eighth seed Kalinskaya comfortably defeated Tomova 6-2, 6-4, awaiting the winner between tenth seed Sakkari and Badosa.

（Text and editing/ Wang Fei, Photo/ Li Jianyi）