Is Xinran Sun the WTA Tour’s next young superstar?
The 16-year-old Chinese player became one of the youngest players to win a WTA Tour-level match on Thursday after defeating German youngster Eva Lys.
Sun led Lys 6-1, 3-0 when the German player retired injured.
“Before the match we make a good prepare because I know she’s good player. This is also first time I play with her,” Sun told reporters in her post-match press conference.
“Honestly I feel good on the court. I just making my tactic and I just following what I need to do. Match go really well, like my way, yeah.”
Sun has now booked her spot in the China Open second round and will play Spanish world number 35 Cristina Bucsa.
Sun has made tennis history; where does she rank among the youngest match winners in WTA 1000 history?
Xinran Sun is now the fourth-youngest match winner in WTA 1000 history
Who do you think will win the women’s singles title at the China Open this year?
Sun was aged 16 years and 69 days when the China Open began earlier this week.
Upon defeating Eva Lys, Sun has now usurped two-time major finalist Amanda Anisimova and become the fourth-youngest match winner in WTA 1000 history, since the format was introduced in 2009 [OptaAce data].
Only Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva and CC Bellis have won WTA 1000 singles matches at a younger age.
Gauff became the youngest when she defeated Caty McNally in the 2019 Miami Open first round; Gauff was 15 years and five days old at the start of the tournament.
The youngest match winners in WTA 1000 history
- Coco Gauff – 15 years and five days
- Mirra Andreeva – 15 years and 350 days
- CC Bellis – 15 years and 361 days
- Xinran Sun – 16 years and 69 days
- Amanda Anisimova – 16 years and 186 days
Who is Xinran Sun?
Sun, ranked 582nd on the WTA Tour, was born in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, on July 23, 2010.
The Chinese youngster is a two-time ITF champion and the 2026 US Open Girls Singles champion.
Sun defeated Anna Pushkareva in the final, 6–4, 4–6, 6–0.
This year, the youngster also reached junior singles finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, losing to Alisa Oktiabreva and Anna Pushkareva, respectively.
With victory against Lys on Thursday, Sun is set to rise 106 places to world number 476.
If Sun does the unthinkable and defeats Cristina Bucsa in the second round, she will play either third seed Coco Gauff or Camila Osorio in the third round.
If Sun reaches the fourth round, she would likely play Elise Mertens or 2017 Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko.
