Hong Kong Tennis Open: Chinese wild card Shang Juncheng upsets Laslo Djere in first-round epic
- Shang saves two match points in final set tiebreak before winning it 10-8
- The world No 183 knocks out opponent ranked 150 places above him
An elated Shang Juncheng saluted “the biggest win of my career”, after saving two match points to beat world number 33 Laslo Djere over three epic sets at the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open on Monday.
The 18-year-old, who has been touted as one of the players capable of lifting mainland Chinese men’s tennis out of the doldrums, began the new year in exhilarating style at Victoria Park, banishing memories of a late-2023 slump in the process.
Shang triumphed 6-7, 6-3, 7-6, after two hours, 51 minutes, and claimed the decisive tiebreak 10-8 after twice staring defeat in the face. Shang recovered from 6-5 and 8-7 behind, the second escape courtesy of a nerveless overhead smash that generated a roar on centre court only surpassed when Djere dumped a backhand long on his opponent’s second match point.
“I had a pretty rough 2023, and I am so happy to start the new year with an amazing win against an amazing player,” Shang, who is ranked 183 in the world, said.
“I did not realise I had saved two match points until I was with my team after, and my coach talked about the overhead.”
The full-house signs were up at the event’s Causeway Bay venue by 3pm. Perhaps the locals pouring in had got wind of a thrilling contest in the making, when Shang and Djere, playing the opening match of the first round draw, contested a one hour, nine minute opening set that Djere claimed on a tiebreak, after winning four straight points from 5-3 down.
Shang, who last played a competitive match eight weeks ago, refused to abandon his courageous style, unfurling a blaze of hard-hitting groundstrokes off both sides and showing a pleasing willingness to charge the net.
He broke Djere twice to take the second set, before holding his nerve in a gripping climax.
The world’s best player, Novak Djokovic, recently said he hoped more Chinese players would follow Zhang Zhizhen (58) into the top-100 of the global rankings.
“Novak is an inspiration to all kids who play tennis around the world,” Shang said. “It was special to hear what he said, we do not have many players in the top-100, and want more. Zhang played him yesterday [in United Cup, in Perth]. I hope I can practise with Novak soon.”
Shang lost his final five matches of 2023, last managing to win on September 12, and the success against Djere came eight weeks after his last competitive match.
He said playing in Hong Kong “meant the world to me”, after the Florida-based player returned to the mainland for the first time since he was 14 for a five-tournament swing late last year.
“It is really special having the fans coming to support me, and enjoying being on court,” Shang said. “I had flu for the first week of my off season, but did lots of practice and fitness work and feel good.”
The quartet of Taro Daniel, Liam Broady, Vitaliy Sachko and Marc Andrea-Huesler, meanwhile, advanced from qualifying and are all in first-round action on Tuesday.
Pavel Kotov, one of three Russian players in the main draw, beat Nuno Borges of Portugal 6-2, 6-4 to book a last-16 date with Lorenzo Musetti or Hong Kong poster boy Coleman Wong Chak-lak.
Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori beat Benjamin Bonzi of France 6-7, 6-2, 6-1 in two hours, 39 minutes.
The 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic is the star attraction on Tuesday. He begins his tournament against Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany, second on centre court, after Mackenzie McDonald takes on Sebastian Ofner.
Wong, who follows Cilic onto the main court, lost his doubles match with partner Zizou Bergs late on Monday. The duo were beaten 6-2, 6-4 by Russian Madrid Open champions Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov.
