Chinese star Shang reflects on ‘special’ week, calls Hong Kong Tennis Open ‘most important tournament of my life’
- Shang Juncheng set for Australian Open wild card after reaching semi-finals at Victoria Park
- Chinese teenager underlines potential with victory over world No 16 Frances Tiafoe on way to last four
Shang Juncheng said the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open had been “the most important tournament I have played in my life”.
The Chinese star’s exhilarating run was ended by world No 5 Andrey Rublev in a captivating semi-final under the Victoria Park lights on Saturday.
Having completely outplayed Frances Tiafoe, the world No 16, on his way to the last four, Shang also saved match points in wins over top-50 players Laslo Djere and Botic van de Zandschulp in the opening two rounds.
And the 18-year-old was one set up and in control against Rublev, before a mix of fatigue and the Russian’s power eventually got the better of him.
“Starting the year so strongly, and saving match points in the first two rounds, has given me a lot of belief in what I can do with my tennis, and mentally,” Shang told the Post.
“When I look back [later in my career] this will always be the special one, and, hopefully, now I can make more memories.”
Shang alerted the tennis world to his potential when he won three qualifying matches, and his opening round tie, at last year’s Australian Open.
He reached the last-16 of an ATP-250 event in Atlanta in July, then came through four rounds to make the same stage of the ATP 500 tournament in Washington the following month.
The teenager dipped late in the year, however, winning none of his final five matches. He repeatedly spoke this week about the need to develop a physical robustness to match his electric game.
And Shang’s observations proved prescient when he suffered “extreme fatigue” at 3-0 down in the second set against Rublev.
“It was not really an injury, I was just exhausted from playing a lot of points and matches this week,” Shang said. “Overall, I feel good and should be fine in the next few days. I am heading towards the right path.
“To go deep in tournaments, I will have to play long matches, and, to reach finals and win events, probably beat top-10 players.
“I can play long matches, but maybe not consistently, for three or four weeks in a row. That is something I will work on with my team.
“Overall, I am very happy I can compete healthy, against good players, and that I beat a top-20 player for the first time. Everything about this week is positive.”
Shang’s Hong Kong exploits earned him a wild card into this month’s Australian Open, and he will climb from 183 in the world when the rankings are updated on Monday.
For an hour against Rublev, it appeared his week was going to get even better. Shang played out of his skin, flummoxing the 26-year-old with fizzing winners off both flanks and moving his frustrated opponent all over the court.
Rublev confessed it had been “tough to accept” being given the run around by a man eight years his junior, but the nine-times grand slam quarter-finalist’s class and endurance ultimately told in a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory.
“Andrey is a top-five player, and it was a pleasure sharing a court with him,” Shang said. “I tried playing faster in the first set. Movement wise, I am a bit better than him, but with his ball striking, once he has you on the run, there is no chance of getting the point back.
“I wanted to make him run a lot, to play my tennis, rather than his. I did well in the first set, but ran out of gas in the second. Hats off to him, he played the better match, but I am happy with my performance.”
