Inaugural World Tennis Intercontinental Team Event Begins in Shenzhen; Wang Xinyu Suffers Opening-Match Comeback Loss to Bencic

The inaugural WTCC World Tennis Intercontinental Team Challenge officially got underway on Wednesday evening at the Shenzhen Universiade Sports Center. In the opening match, home player Wang Xinyu represented Team World against European star Belinda Bencic.

Wang took the first set 6–4 to make a strong start, but Bencic responded by claiming the second set 6–2. The match was decided in a match tiebreak, where Wang fell 5–10, allowing Bencic to complete the comeback and give Team Europe an opening victory.

Wang’s form earlier this year was inconsistent, as she suffered several first-round exits that tested both her confidence and mindset. Her resurgence came at the WTA 500 Berlin Open, where she defeated four top-20 players—including reigning French Open champion Coco Gauff—on her way to a runner-up finish, marking her best-ever result on grass.

Wang is scheduled to return to action on December 27, facing Iga Świątek in the morning session. In the evening, she will team up with Zhang Zhizhen in mixed doubles against Flavio Cobolli and Bencic—reuniting after winning the silver medal in mixed doubles at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

The WTCC features a three-day, mixed-gender team format pitting Team Europe against Team World, with competitions in men’s doubles, men’s singles, women’s singles, and mixed doubles. The event boasts a star-studded lineup, including multiple players ranked inside the world’s top 15.