By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday March 3, 2024
Yuan Yue claimed her maiden WTA title with a straight-sets victory over Wang Xiyu on Sunday in Austin.
Photo Source: TTV
Yuan Yue defeated compatriot Wang Xiyu to claim her maiden title, 6-4, 7-6(4), on Sunday at the ATX Open in Austin, Texas.
It was the first all-Chinese final on the WTA Tour since 2018, and the first all-Chinese final outside of Asia since 2006.
There were nine breaks of serve – five for Yuan – in the contest that was hotly contested across both sets.
Sixth-seeded Wang (ranked 64) had the early break and a 2-0 lead, but Yuan won six of the final eight games to take the opener.
25-year-old Yuan squandered a 5-2 lead and trailed 6-5 in the second set, but she held serve to force a tiebreak then quickly built a 6-1 lead in the breaker before converting her fourth championship point at the two hour and 13 minute mark.
“I need to go through it to be a better player,” Wang said of her tough loss.
Yuan, who was ranked 119 this time last year, is projected to make her Top-50 debut in the rankings on Monday, at No.49 (from 68).
“You pushed me a lot, I had to give my 100 percent and push my levels up,” Yuan told Wang.