When an underdog upsets the expected winner, a large portion of the cheers are always reserved for them. And at this year’s US Open, Yafan Wang is feeling the love from her countrymen and women tenfold. On one of the best Grand Slam runs of her career this year, the Chinese player is into the fourth round of the US major. She just defeated veteran Victoria Azarenka in a thrilling match, and loud shouts of “Jiayou!” could be heard in the Grandstand, not just from the Chinese fans at Flushing Meadows, but also from local American fans. But why does the American crowd favor Wang?

Well, it’s because of the flamboyant tennis she has put on display. Jiayou, Yafan Wang says, roughly translates to “Let’s go!” or Come on, as some would say. And that goes perfectly with Wang’s performance, which has been nothing less than a spark slowly turning into a blaze and fans have been cheering her on with the shouts of Jiayou. One of Wang’s best Slam performances came in Melbourne this year where she reached the third round. However, this is only the second time that the 30-year-old has consistently been in the main draw of each Slam, the last one being in 2019.

Now, Wang takes on Paula Badosa in the 4th round of the US Open today at Louis Armstrong Stadium. And the cheers of the crowd will be just as loud, as the Chinese population in Flushing is sure to come and cheer for Wang. “I feel like I’m playing at home,” she said after defeating Azarenka in the third round. The area is home to a large part of the city’s Chinese population, with Chinatown also close by in Manhattan.

Additionally, Yafan Wang has retired names like Diane Parry and Maria Sakkari in the initial rounds of the US Open, so the cheering is warranted. Even last year, when Wang defeated no. 7 seed Caroline Garcia in straight sets in the first round, it was a huge upset and was a memorable win for the Chinese player.

And Wang is not the only one. Even Zheng Qinwen, who has turned the Tour upside down this year, has been the recipient of much crowd support. Zheng became just the second Chinese woman ever to reach a Grand Slam singles final at the January Slam this year. Additionally, her latest gold at the Paris Olympics, making her just the fourth Chinese player ever to win a medal in tennis, is more than praiseworthy.

On the other hand, Wang’s progress on the Tour this year has also been her career-best. Although yesterday Azarenka was the favorite going into the third-round match, her Chinese opponent proved to be too strong for her. When the Belarusian won the second set, Wang knew what to do. “We get to the third set and I know I need to play very, very focused,” she said after the match was over. And indeed, her focus was there in the third set, as she won it 6-1.

Wang will be hoping to finish the Slam season with a better record than ever before. For the 30-year-old, the rise up the ranks has been a slow journey since COVID-19 caused a major obstacle. But Wang is slowly making her way back, surer and stronger.

“I have a better mentality”: Yafan Wang on competing after facing roadblocks

Like all of us, the lockdown and strict quarantining took a toll on Wang, who was looking for a lighter schedule. She ended up taking 7 months off in 2022. “Because of COVID, we have to travel but my husband cannot come with me,” Yafan Wang said of that off time. “If I play, I would have to stay outside China for one or two years. I also had a little bit injuries. Also, if I go back to China I have to quarantine for 28 days. It’s too long for me.”

But then China’s travel restrictions finally eased as the world opened up more too. And 2023 was when Wang finally played a full season in three years. “If I lost, it’s the same life. If I win, it’s the same life,” she said last year. “So I have a better mentality. I try to enjoy tennis, put not too much pressure in tennis. I think this is different for me.”

While of course her gameplay and ranking have suffered because of the gap, Yafan Wang has come back stronger than ever. And shouts of “Jiayou!” will keep her going!