In the first round of the WTA 250 Guangzhou Open, several notable upsets occurred, including the exit of British player Fran Jones and top seed Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. Fran Jones, seeded 7th and ranked 85th, faced off against wild-card entrant Wang Xiyu from China, who came into the match ranked 145th. Despite the rankings, Wang secured a 6-4, 6-4 victory.
Match Highlights
Wang Xiyu’s victory marks a significant moment, as she previously won the Guangzhou title in 2023 and reached the quarter-final at the event last year. The match against Jones lasted for 1 hour and 58 minutes. Wang’s experience and recent performances gave her an advantage, even against a higher-ranked opponent.
Other First-Round Results
- Elisabetta Cocciaretto of Italy advanced after defeating Diane Parry in a tightly contested match, 6-4, 6-7(7), 6-2.
- Lulu Sun, a qualifier from New Zealand, upset top seed Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in two tiebreak sets, winning 7-6(3), 7-6(2).
- Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah of France surprised No. 8 seed Polina Kudermetova, winning 1-6, 6-1, 6-2.
- Ann Li of the United States won against Jimenez Kasintseva, 6-4, 7-6(4), after a comeback in both sets.
- Yulia Putintseva, the No. 6 seed, defeated qualifier Alina Korneeva, 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-4.
- Anna Bondar edged past wild-card Guo Hanyu in a close third-set tiebreak, winning 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(4).
- Caty McNally fought hard to overcome qualifier Kaja Juvan, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.
- Zhang Shuai advanced with a straightforward 6-4, 6-1 win over Anastasia Zakharova.
Looking Ahead
Wang Xiyu will next face Elisabetta Cocciaretto, while other matchups promise exciting tennis as the tournament progresses. This round’s numerous surprises highlight the competitive nature of the WTA tour and set the stage for a thrilling continuation of the Guangzhou Open.
