The biggest talking point on this week’s tennis tour is undoubtedly the battle for the Rome title. As the last high-level tournament before this year’s French Open, the Rome field is exceptionally strong, with almost all top players participating. Chinese stars Zheng Qinwen, Wang Xinyu, and Zhang Shuai are also in the draw.
Wang Xinyu, seeded 31st, received a first-round bye but fell in the second round to Philippine player Eala, 4-6, 3-6. Wang had previously defeated Eala in their last meeting. Eala now climbs to a career-high ranking of No. 36 after earning 65 points.
For any professional player, a loss is painful — especially for Wang, who has now suffered four consecutive first-round exits at the WTA 1000 level. Starting from Indian Wells in March, she lost in her opening match in Miami, Madrid, and Rome, falling to Tomljanovic, McNally, Samuson, and Eala respectively. Notably, none of those opponents were ranked particularly high, and Wang had drawn relatively favorable paths compared to other Chinese players. Yet she has struggled to secure a win at these big events.
At the start of the season, Wang was in excellent form, winning eight matches across three tournaments from Auckland to the Australian Open. However, over the nearly four months since the Australian Open ended in January, she has managed just four wins against eight losses.
After her opening defeat in Rome, Wang analyzed her performance. She admitted that her style became too conservative when leading in the first set. “I could have played more aggressively,” she said. “At some crucial moments, my choices weren’t the most precise, so it feels a bit regrettable.” She acknowledged the frustration but emphasized the ongoing effort to improve. “I’m constantly searching, and my team and I always want to get better. We try to approach everything positively and make progress in the areas that need improvement. But when you step into a real match, many different situations arise.”
As Wang noted, that’s part of the charm of professional tennis — preparation is one thing, but in-game adjustments are another. According to her schedule, her next stop will be the WTA 125 event in Parma. Meanwhile, she and Hsieh Su-wei have entered the women’s doubles in Rome, where they will face the third-seeded pair of Zhang Shuai and Elise Mertens in the first round.