WUHAN, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- After a straight-sets loss to Wang Xiyu saw her exit the WTA Wuhan Open in the first round for the second straight year on Monday, China's Wang Xinyu hugged her compatriot, shouldered her bag and walked off in silence.
A day before the match, Wang Xinyu told Xinhua about her approach to winning and losing. "Everyone wants to win. But sometimes failures and setbacks can teach us more. The key is to keep an open mind, so you can learn from them and keep getting better."
During the same tournament in 2025, she described that year as a "wave-shaped" one full of ups and downs. This year, she said, "the waves got even bigger."
Her season began brightly. In Auckland in January, she won four straight matches to reach the final, where she lost to top seed Elina Svitolina. At the Australian Open, she knocked out No. 24 seed Jelena Ostapenko and No. 13 seed Linda Noskova to reach the last 16 for the first time in her career.
The clay-court season proved more difficult, with a series of early exits during what she called "the most frustrating stretch of the year," marked by self-doubt.
The French Open brought a turning point when she battled through a three-set victory.
"I remember when I won it, I felt so many emotions," said Wang, who usually appears calm. She called that moment "an explosion of pent-up emotion."
"Winning that match gave me a lot of confidence, and a lot of determination to keep going and keep challenging myself."
On grass, a surface on which she feels more comfortable, Wang gradually rebuilt her confidence. In late June in Bad Homburg, she fired 15 aces in a straight-sets opening win before reaching the semifinals, where she lost to four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. At Wimbledon, she advanced beyond the first round for the fourth consecutive year.
Then came the North American swing. In Cincinnati, she came from a set down to beat Donna Vekic before losing to top seed Aryna Sabalenka. At the US Open, she fell in three sets to No. 21 seed Anna Kalinskaya in the second round.
"Although I didn't win that match [against Kalinskaya], I've been building up little by little through experiences like that, and I can see myself getting better," she said.
In Singapore in late September, Wang met Vekic again and won 6-1, 6-2 before beating a qualifier to reach the quarterfinals.
Back home, however, Wang suffered consecutive first-round exits at the China Open and Wuhan Open.
"I'm still trying to balance the excitement and expectations of playing at home," she said.
Now in her eighth year as a professional, Wang continues to learn and refine her technique and playing style. "You have to keep learning new things. In tennis, there's no such thing as 'holding' your level or your form. If you're not learning, you're going backwards," she said.
"I think the most important thing in learning is to treat yourself as if you know nothing. You need to let go of what you think you already know, and learn new things with a completely open mind."
"It won't be smooth at the start. But a lot of the time, you need that determination, that belief and confidence to believe you can do it," Wang said. "I know my goal is to win a Grand Slam, and I know that I'm on the road, walking toward my goal."
Looking ahead, Wang remained optimistic about what the rest of the season might bring. "2026 is not over yet, and I hope the next few weeks will continue to surprise me." ■
