Flying home to China with the Wimbledon trophy hugged tight in her arms, Guo Hanyu finally let the moment sink in: She was a Grand Slam champion.

The 28-year-old teamed up with France's Kristina Mladenovic to win the women's doubles title at the 2026 Wimbledon Championships, knocking off top contenders to claim her first career Grand Slam trophy. For Guo, the achievement felt like a quiet reward for years of unwavering patience and dedication.

China's Guo Hanyu (L) and France's Kristina Mladenovic poses with their trophies after winning against Brazil's Luisa Stefani and Canada's Gabriela Dabrowski during their women's doubles final tennis match on the fourteenth day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 12, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

"I haven't assigned too much special meaning to this trophy," Guo told Xinhua. "It might just be a reward and encouragement at this stage of my life, but I still have a long way to go."

Their championship run at the All England Club was far from straightforward. The toughest test came in the round of 16 -- their only three-set match of the fortnight.

After dropping the opening set, Guo and Mladenovic clawed back in the second, breaking back on their opponents' serve for a match-ending game and forcing a tiebreaker that turned the tide.

"We both started off poorly, fell far behind, and found ourselves in a difficult spot. We chased down point by point, and the momentum shifted in our favor," Guo recalled.

That escape was fueled by mutual trust. When Mladenovic, a six-time Grand Slam doubles winner coming off an injury recovery, asked Guo to pair up early this year, critics voiced skepticism. Guo did not hesitate.

"She had accomplished so much, and I knew I could learn a great deal from her regardless of the results," Guo said.

China's Guo Hanyu, playing with France's Kristina Mladenovic, returns to Brazil's Luisa Stefani and Canada's Gabriela Dabrowski during their women's doubles final tennis match on the fourteenth day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 12, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

The pair won their debut tournament in their first week together. Mladenovic also helped Guo overcome a long-standing psychological hurdle in tight three-set Grand Slam matches.

"Longer matches are more like singles play, you have to keep adjusting and finding answers," Mladenovic advised her. "Don't worry, I've got your back."

That steadying presence carried them through the Wimbledon draw, where they ousted the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds before beating fellow Chinese duo Jiang Xinyu and Xu Yifan in the semifinals -- a stark contrast to Guo's debut two years ago when she and Jiang had exited in the first round.

Guo's path to tennis stardom was unconventional. Introduced to the sport by picking up balls for her cousin as a child, she pursued academics alongside training, eventually entering Southwest University. In 2019, she won gold in women's doubles at the Summer Universiade in Naples, Italy, alongside Ye Qiuyu. Exactly seven years later, on July 12, she lifted the trophy at Wimbledon.

Yet her transition to the pro circuit featured setbacks. Frustrated by long absences from competitive action, she briefly considered walking away from the sport. A turning point came in 2022 when she began working with coach Ma Weikai in Shenzhen.

"He told me, 'Even if you don't believe in yourself, believe in me,'" Guo said. "That gave me immense strength."

Guo went on to win singles gold and doubles silver at the 2023 Chengdu Universiade while earning her master's degree. Once regretting the time spent in university away from full-time pro training, Guo now sees those years as vital to her growth.

"Being on campus broadened my perspective and taught me how to experience life beyond tennis," she said.

With a Grand Slam title now under her belt, Guo is already eyeing her next milestone: breaking into the top 100 in singles rankings by the end of the year.

"I'm enjoying this moment, but after this, I want to keep taking steady steps forward. Even if I don't reach my next goal immediately, I will keep striving toward it," Guo added.