A Historic Final in the Heart of Texas

Wang Xiyu made no secret of her desire to be part of an all-Chinese final. We are not sure she realized that if she got her wish, she would also be a part of women’s tennis history. Today’s match will represent the first time ever in the 50-plus years of the WTA that an all-Chinese final will be played on U.S. soil. We love that the ladies saved it for Austin. For Xiyu, this feat signals that tennis in her home country is growing in quality and visibility. Xiyu has already won 10 matches this season and will be looking to capture the second singles title of her career.

On the other side of the net will stand a player who has shown no sign that she will make that easy. Yuan Yue was borderline flawless in her semifinal performance against Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, winning the first eight games of the match. And while Anna would battle with honor, Yue’s ground game was just a little too overpowering. The 25-year-old Yuan is playing in her second final in five months. She made no predictions about today’s championship match but promised to fight for every point.

We cannot help but suspect that for these fellow countrywomen, personal victory might temporarily replace patriotic pride….at least for the afternoon.

Who will win this historic bout?