There was a historic moment at Wimbledon as Wang Ziying became the first Chinese player to win a Grand Slam wheelchair singles title. Ranked No. 4 in the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour Rankings, Wang defeated Japan’s Yui Kamiji 6-3, 6-3 in the women’s singles final at the Wimbledon Wheelchair Championships.
Wang, 26, has already made a name for herself as a trailblazer. Earlier this year, she and Li Xiaohui won the women’s doubles at the Australian Open, marking them as the first Chinese players to win a Grand Slam title in wheelchair tennis.
Reflecting on her victory, Wang expressed her emotions: “My heart is filled with excitement, and I am very emotional,” she told itftennis.com. She described her win as not just a personal achievement but also one shared with her teammate Li and coaches who supported her throughout the tournament.
Wang faced Kamiji with an unfavorable 1-8 win-loss record but managed to overturn it in this significant match. She had previously lost to Kamiji at the British Open last week. Wang shared that advice from Zheng Jie helped calm her nerves before the final: “She told me, ‘To be in the final, you are already a champion regardless of whether you win or lose.’”
This victory marks a significant milestone for Chinese wheelchair tennis. Zhu Zhenzhen was previously the only other Chinese player to reach a Grand Slam wheelchair singles final when she competed at Roland Garros last year.
Wang hopes her success will inspire younger Chinese wheelchair tennis players: “Winning Wimbledon will hopefully inspire younger Chinese wheelchair tennis players,” said Wang.
Meanwhile, for Kamiji, this defeat means she still seeks her first women’s wheelchair singles title at Wimbledon to complete a career Golden Slam—a feat that requires winning all four Grand Slams plus a Paralympic gold medal. The list of those who have achieved this includes Dylan Alcott, Diede de Groot, and Shingo Kunieda.