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.