From Nansha to Wimbledon glory: Guo Hanyu wins first Grand Slam title

China's Guo Hanyu, partnering France's Kristina Mladenovic, defeated second seeds Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani 6-3 and 7-5 to claim the women's doubles title at Wimbledon on July 12, 2026. The victory marks the 28-year-old's first Grand Slam trophy and makes her the ninth Chinese mainland player to reach a major women's doubles final.

Guo Hanyu (right) and Kristina Mladenovic are pictured at the award ceremony on July 12. [Photo/WeChat account: nanshafabu]

Guo's rise is deeply tied to Nansha. In 2023, she captured her maiden WTA doubles title at the Guangzhou International Women's Open held at the Nansha International Tennis Center. Three years later, she has completed a remarkable leap from that breakthrough to Grand Slam champion. In 2024, she helped China defeat Belgium in the Billie Jean King Cup World Group play-offs held on the same courts.

The Nansha International Tennis Center, home to 32 courts featuring hard, clay and grass surfaces, has hosted 136 events since opening in 2019. The WTA Guangzhou Open has been staged at the center for three consecutive years, alongside ATP Challenger and ITF junior tournaments. A dedicated tennis academy now trains young talents under European coaches, with over 20,000 registered players across the district.

This year's Guangzhou International Women's Open returns from Oct 24 to Nov 1, where Guo is expected to bring her Grand Slam champion form back to where her journey began.