Match report
#NextGenATP Shang beats Nishikori on residence soil in Chengdu
Vukic saves MP in opposition to Coric
September 19, 2024
Getty Photographs
Shang Juncheng takes his twentieth win of the season. (File picture)
By ATP employees
#NextGenATP Chinese language star Shang Juncheng put in a powerful efficiency in entrance of a packed residence crowd on the Chengdu Open on Thursday, beating former world quantity 4 Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-4 in a high-quality first-round match.
Shang is without doubt one of the most fun prospects on the ATP Tour and the 19-year-old confirmed why in opposition to the 34-year-old Nishikori. He cleared each wings and dug deep when serving for the match within the second set, keeping off two break factors earlier than lastly pushing by way of to degree the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence at 1-1.
Shang was stuffed with reward for Nishikori after his victory.
“His returns are unbelievable, among the best on this planet,” Shang stated. “His sport is that he takes the ball early. He does not provide you with a lot time and he can defend all the things that involves him. All gamers are troublesome however it’s troublesome to make him play as a result of he strikes the identical method as me. It was an excellent sport and he is an excellent man and we get alongside properly off the pitch.”
Shang shines in Chengdu 🪩
The 19-year-old continues to impress and beats Nishikori 6-4 6-4!@ChengduOpen | #ChengduOpen photo.twitter.com/nNb1rapOss
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 19, 2024
Shang has now reached 20 tour-level victories in a season for the primary time, with semi-finals in Hong Kong and Atlanta because the spotlight. The left-hander will probably be hoping to carry out properly on residence soil through the Asian swing to additional improve his possibilities of qualifying for the Subsequent Gen ATP Finals introduced by PIF, which takes place from 18-22 December. Shang is at present third within the PIF ATP Reside Race To Jeddah.
“The purpose for Asia is to be wholesome and blissful,” Shang stated. “I do not play a lot at residence. The followers do not see the Chinese language gamers a lot, so it is to have enjoyable.”
The world quantity 67 has received his final seven first-round matches on the event and can now face both Roman Safiullin or Fabio Fognini.
Nishikori made his debut in Chengdu. The 12-time tour-level champion hit the ball properly in opposition to Shang, however struggled bodily at instances and acquired remedy for his left leg and proper elbow.
Australia’s Alexsandar Vukic saved one match level to win 3-6, 7-6(9), 6-4 in opposition to former world quantity 12 Borna Coric on the ATP 250.
Vukic, who leads Coric 2-0 within the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence, is hoping to succeed in the quarterfinals of a tour-level hardcourt event for the primary time this season. He’ll face Spaniard Pedro Martinez within the second spherical.
Chinese language wildcard Zhou Yi secured his first ATP Tour victory after Chun-Hsin Tseng retired within the third set. Zhou was main 2-6, 6-1, 3-1 when Tseng retired. The No. 531 within the PIF ATP Rankings will face both Adrian Mannarino or French qualifier Terence Atmane within the second spherical.
In different motion, qualifier Alibek Kachmazov reached the highest by beating American Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 7-6(7), whereas Yannick Hanfmann defeated Japanese wildcard Shintaro Mochizuki 6-4, 7-6(4). Christopher O’Connell knocked out Pavel Kotov 6-4, 7-5.