Noskova, who reached six finals with only one victory, is dubbed the tragic heroine; a post-2010 girl sets a new record in Chinese tennis.

What does it mean when good luck abandons you without even a goodbye? Noskova’s experience in Tokyo this time is a vivid example!

Noskova, who debuted at the Tokyo 500 this year, has been considered by many as the girl most favored by the goddess of fortune at this event. Her journey to the final in Tokyo was so easy it sparked envy and jealousy; it seemed too effortless to everyone. Except for her tough three-set comeback win against American player Kessler, the intensity of her later matches was joked by fans and netizens as being easier than a training session.

For instance, against Russian beauty Kalinskaya, Noskova lost a set 6-0 in the first but before Kalinskaya could even get going in the second, the Russian retired due to injury, letting Noskova advance to the semifinals without breaking much of a sweat.

If Noskova had to put in some effort to reach the semifinals, her way into the final was essentially a walkover. Since Rybakina had already secured the last spot for the year-end finals, many speculated that the Kazakh player would likely withdraw. Surprisingly, the insightful fans and netizens predicted this correctly—Rybakina withdrew, granting Noskova a victory without playing and advancing her to her second 500-level final this season.

Unfortunately, in the final against Swiss star Bencic, it seemed as if the goddess of luck suddenly took away all of Noskova’s fortune. Bencic easily defeated her in just 82 minutes with a 6-2, 6-3 scoreline, turning the high pre-match expectations of Noskova’s championship into a sorrowful tale for the Czech girl.

After Noskova’s loss, another incident involving her quickly emerged among fans and netizens, further deepening the sense of tragedy surrounding the Czech player like an unstoppable river.

So far, the Czech girl has reached six tour finals but has only won once, a record that could bring one to tears.

Seeing this cold, hard data, many who previously criticized Noskova for not being able to defeat Bencic—who fought hard for over two hours in the semifinals against Kenin despite resting—now realize that Noskova’s loss might truly stem from a lack of destiny with championships, making it somewhat easier to accept.

The only final where Noskova has emerged victorious was the 2024 Monterrey 500 tournament, where she swept New Zealand-born Chinese player Lulu Sun in straight sets to claim the title.

In the 2023 Adelaide 500 final, bad luck struck as she lost to Sabalenka; at the 2023 Prague 250 final, she surprisingly lost on home soil to Japan’s Nao Hibino; in 2025, she reached the Prague 250 final again but was defeated by compatriot Buzkova; at the 2025 China Open final, she lost to Anisimova, a defeat that drew little comment; and this time at the Tokyo 500, losing to Bencic surprised many who wondered what was wrong with Noskova, leaving the public puzzled.

Interestingly, many people who sympathize with Noskova also mention Lulu Sun, calling them inseparable sisters bound by shared misfortune and mutual setbacks.

After Noskova’s disappointment in Tokyo, Lulu Sun’s defeat last year to the Czech girl in Monterrey and her own experience in the Guangzhou Open final also evoke a sense of melancholy.

Before the match, Lulu Sun was clearly the favorite in predictions. However, after losing a tight first-set tiebreak, the pressure did not motivate her but instead crushed her fighting spirit, leading to a swift 2-6 loss in the second set, once again missing out on her first tour-level title.

Compared to the tragic stories of the foreign sisters Noskova and Lulu Sun, a proud and unexpected event involving Chinese tennis occurred last week, brought by the 15-year-old girl from Shenzhen, Sun Xinran.

Sun Xinran entered the ITF 15K Sharm El Sheikh event through her junior ranking, upset the top seed Emil in the semifinals to reach her first adult final, attracting significant attention. Surprisingly, in the final, this post-2010 Chinese young star delivered an unexpected delight to Chinese tennis by winning the championship.

While this title might seem minor or unremarkable to others, for 15-year-old Sun Xinran it carries double significance: not only is it her first adult tournament victory, but it also sets a new record in Chinese tennis as the youngest Chinese player to win a senior-level title.

After becoming the new pride of the Chinese tennis team last week, fans and netizens hope Sun Xinran will keep working hard and bring even bigger surprises in major tournaments in the future, showcasing the rising new force of Chinese tennis to the world!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Starry Moon River)