Diede de Groot faced her first loss in three years on Saturday as she was defeated by Xiaohui Li at the World Team Cup in Istanbul. It marked De Groot’s first defeat in 146 matches.
In a match where De Groot conceded to Li in two sets, the 24-year-old Chinese player emerged victorious with scores of 6-3 and 6-2, securing the win for China in the clay-court tournament in Turkey.
De Groot’s defeat comes as a rarity, considering her unparalleled dominance in the sport. Her last loss dated back to 2021, during the preparatory tournament for the Australian Open finals, where she was defeated by Japanese player Yui Kamiji. Since then, De Groot had remained undefeated for 145 consecutive matches.
Just two weeks ago, the 27-year-old De Groot was honored at the prestigious Laureus Awards in Madrid, being named the Athlete of the Year with a disability. Earlier in January, she equaled the record of her childhood idol Esther Vergeer by clinching her 21st Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.
De Groot boasts an impressive list of achievements, having won all Grand Slam tournaments – the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open – for three consecutive years. Additionally, she emerged victorious at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
Despite this setback, De Groot’s remarkable journey in wheelchair tennis continues to inspire many, and her unparalleled success remains a testament to her exceptional talent and resilience in the face of adversity.
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