Wang Xinyu stuns Pegula at Wimbledon to notch first Top 10 win

World No.42 Wang Xinyu earned her first Top 10 win by defeating No.5 Jessica Pegula 6-4, 6-7(7), 6-1 in the second round at Wimbledon. Making her third main-draw appearance at Wimbledon, Wang has posted her best result so far at SW19.

Wimbledon 2024: Scores | Draws | Order of play

"Couple of days ago I was asking my coach, 'When will this happen,'" Wang said on court. "Jessica was really tough to play on grass. Her ball was super low and I'm just really happy I won in the end."

A quarterfinalist last year, Pegula came into Wimbledon off a strong run through the grass. At the ecotrans Ladies Open in Berlin, Pegula saved five match points in the final to snag her first career grass-court title and first Hologic WTA Tour title this season. 

Wang will face either Nottingham champion Katie Boulter or Harriet Dart for a spot in her second Round of 16 at a major. The improving 22-year-old made her first last fall at the US Open. 

Wang broke Pegula in the only game with any break-point chances in the first set. Pegula finally broke through on Wang's service games to build a 2-0 lead in the second set, but Wang's sustained pressure on return reeled the American back in.

Pegula appeared to seize the momentum after saving four break points to hold for a 5-4 lead. But Wang surged forward with a cool hold at love and then her fourth break of serve of the day. 

After failing to serve out the win at 5-4, Wang held off a gritty comeback attempt from Pegula, who came from 3-1 down in the tiebreak to keep the result in the balance until the very end. An ace at 4-4 moved Pegula ahead and she closed out the set after saving one match point. 

"I had a few chances in the second set," Wang said, "but I was telling myself OK, just focus on the next point, not the last point."

Flashback: Wang Xinyu reflects on Li Na's legacy 

Any thoughts that Wang would be deflated from failing to close out the match in two were quickly quieted by the Chinese player. She rolled through her service games without facing a break point in the final set and built a 5-0 lead in a flash before closing out the biggest win of her career with a gutsy serve-and-volley to end the match.

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• Get to know Sonay Kartal, the British qualifier set to face Gauff next