On December 30th, the first round of the WTA500 Brisbane tournament brought good news. Chinese tennis star Yuan Yue performed outstandingly, defeating Dutch player Rus 6-2, 6-4, and winning 2-0 to advance to the next round. This victory not only secured her a strong start to the new season but also avenged her loss at this year's Wimbledon.
Yuan Yue is currently ranked 49th in the world, with a highest ranking of 36. However, she was eliminated in the first round of all four Grand Slams last season. Her opponent, Rus, is ranked 76th in the world, with a highest ranking of 41. Rus has reached the round of 16 at the French Open and made it to the second round of all four Grand Slams last season. The two met in the first round of Wimbledon this year, where Yuan Yue lost both sets 2-6, 3-6, so this match was a chance for her to prove herself.
During the match, Yuan Yue's performance was nearly flawless. In the first set, her first serve scoring rate was as high as 77%, converting 2 out of 3 break points and successfully saving all 2 of Rus' break points, ultimately taking the set 6-2 with ease. In the second set, Yuan Yue was even more impressive, breaking serve and holding her own to take an early 2-0 lead. Both players then held their service games, with Yuan Yue maintaining the lead in score. In the 10th game, the decisive service game, she played exceptionally well to win the set 6-4 and the match.
The entire match lasted 77 minutes, during which Yuan Yue had a first serve percentage of 65% and a first serve scoring rate of 80%. She converted 3 out of 5 break points and saved all 3 of Rus' break points.
With this victory, Yuan Yue not only earned 32 points and $12,300 in prize money but also saw her immediate ranking rise to 48th. It is believed that she will continue to maintain her excellent form in upcoming matches, contributing to further achievements for Chinese tennis.