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- Welsh Teenager Mimi Xu Produces Epic Fightback But Just Misses Out On Junior Wimbledon Final
Welsh teenager Mimi Xu ended a memorable Wimbledon fortnight by just missing out on making the girls’ final.
The 17-year-old from Swansea - who made her Wimbledon main draw debut this year before losing out to Emma Raducanu on No.1 Court - was just edged out in her juniors singles semi-final by sixth seed Julieta Pareja in a tight three-set battle.
Xu put in a typically gutsy performance - saving a match point and coming from a set down to take it to a decider, but ultimately lost 6-2, 6-7(7), 6-4.
But the talented Welsh star leaves as the first British player to reach the final four of the Wimbledon girls’ singles since Laura Robson in 2010.
Xu has now reached the semi-finals at two junior Grand Slam events, adding to her run at the US Open last year.
Last year she also finished runner-up in the girls’ doubles with fellow Brit Mika Stojsavljevic.
The 17-year-old showed incredible fight and spirit to come back from a break and 5-3 down in the second set before going on to save a match point in the tie-break to eventually force a decider.
However, after a lengthy break at the end of the second set, Pareja was able to reset and address the forehand unforced errors that had been an issue for her in the match to that point.
While Xu won every point behind her first serve in the third set, the consistency dropped for just a few points at 2-2 in the third as Pareja broke for the fourth time in the match.
Xu forced her opponent to serve it out once again, but the young American made no mistake the second time around – booking her place in the final after two hours and 35 minutes.
Xu began her tennis journey at Swansea Tennis & Squash Club at the age of three.
It was her neighbours who originally got her started in tennis and it was clear from an early age that Xu had a natural talent for the game.
In her early teenage years, Xu joined the Loughborough University National Academy which gave her all the tools to develop her game and reach the next level, thanks to world class facilities and coaching.
At the age of 14, Xu won the renowned Lexus Junior National Championships at both the 16U and 18U level, which she then replicated again in 2024 – beating compatriot Hannah Klugman in a high-quality final.
Her victory at 14 gave her a wild card into Wimbledon qualifying, where she was bidding to become the youngest female to reach the main draw since 1968.
Over the last 12 months, Xu has been making positive strides in the professional game as well – winning her first pro-level title at the W35 Aldershot.
This summer has marked a number of key milestones, reaching her first WTA 125 quarter-final with a maiden top 100 win, her first WTA Tour win and reaching a career-high world No.318.
