OEIRAS/STARNBERG, April 28, 2025

In a thrilling final at the ninth edition of the Oeiras CETO Open, China’s Yue Yuan secured her seventh career title, claiming her first-ever victory on clay. After a 13-month title drought, Yuan triumphed over Belgium’s Greet Minnen in a high-quality clash, winning 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in two hours and 19 minutes.

Held from April 21 to 27 at the Clube Escola de Tenis de Oeiras in Portugal, the ITF World Tennis Tour W100 tournament attracted top talent, and the final lived up to expectations. Despite a strong start from Minnen, who raced to a 5-1 lead in the first set, Yuan showed resilience and composure. She lost the opening set but mounted a stunning recovery, gaining control in the second and third sets.

The pivotal moment came in the second set when Yuan broke Minnen’s serve, a turning point that shifted the momentum. In the final set, Minnen struggled with a nosebleed and couldn’t recover after Yuan broke her early in the set. Yuan sealed her victory with a break point and a commanding performance in the decisive moments.

“It’s a week I will remember forever. This is my best moment of my career on clay. I always wondered if I could perform well on this surface, and now I truly believe in myself,” Yuan reflected after her win, which marked her third consecutive victory over Minnen.

With this triumph, Yuan, who was previously ranked as high as No. 36 in the world, will return to the top 100 in the next WTA Rankings. The victory not only adds a clay title to her résumé but also marks a significant turning point in her season, having arrived in Portugal with just three wins on the year.