China, P.R. stun Netherlands for second BNP Paribas World Team Cup win
China, P.R. sent shockwaves through the world of parasport and, arguably, through the world of global sport on Saturday after earning a 2-0 victory over 33-time champions and top seeds Netherlands to lift the BNP Paribas World Team Cup Women’s World Group title for the second time, in Antalya, Turkey.
Having also beaten Netherlands 2-0 in the 2017 final in Sardinia to become the first nation from the continent of Asia to lift the women’s World Group title, the Chinese team fielded two completely different players for this year’s final.
Ziying Wang defeated world No. 4 Aniek van Koot 6-1 6-3 before Xiaohui Li ended the 145-match winning streak of world No.1 Diede de Groot to earn a remarkable 6-3 6-2 victory.
“I was calm on the court and followed our coach’s plan,” said Li, who is only in her second full season on the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour after winning nine singles titles in 2023. “After the match, I am now very emotional, but I managed to stay calm on the court.
“Winning the gold medal is really important for the Chinese team,” she added. “I’m very proud to be a part of our team winning the title again after seven years and this gives me so much confidence heading towards the Paralympic Games. To beat the number one player is great.”
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With just one win over Van Koot in five previous matches, that coming in three sets in January this year at the Melbourne Open, Wang built on a 4-0 first set lead and made the most of every opportunity she created to beat van Koot in an hour and 16 minutes.
This year’s Melbourne Open was also the first career meeting between Li and De Groot and the Chinese player took it to three sets. That was possibly a sign of bigger things to come and Li’s backhand proved particularly potent against De Groot in their third career meeting.
De Groot saved three set points in the opening set as she desperately tried to rescue the Dutch title defence, but she was not helped by a collection of double faults that tipped into double figures. The end of De Groot’s winning streak dating back to the start of the 2021 Australian Open understandably brought a flood of emotions that directly contrasted with the joy within the Chinese team.
Taking to social media to address her loss, De Groot explained:
"For 3.5 years I have been strong, resilient and I kept my nerves under control. (On) Saturday my opponent simply played a better match. I was beaten. which in tennis can happen at any given day. Of course, (it brings) big feelings. But there is no change in my power, my resilience and my will to win. It's actually that simple."
France sealed their second BNP Paribas World Team Cup bronze medal in successive years after beating Morocco 3-0, giving 18-year-old Ksenia Chasteau a first World Team Cup medal in her first year as a senior women's player.