Better Together: Yibing Wu, Zhizhen Zhang Share US Open Honours | ATP Tour

Wu Yibing and Zhang Zhizhen have been sitting within the US Open gamers’ eating room throughout a rain delay on Friday, one of many largest days of each their careers. Wu, the 2017 US Open boys’ singles champion, had simply certified for the principle draw for the season’s ultimate main on his first try. Zhang was ready to return to the courtroom to aim to do the identical.

But as a substitute of stressing the magnitude of the second, the shut mates had a cellphone on the desk to stream an ATP Challenger Tour match between Shang Juncheng, a 17-year-old Chinese language phenom, and Australian veteran Jordan Thompson. Shang would win the match and later superior to the ultimate of the event.

Wu, Zhang and Shang make up the way forward for males’s tennis in China. That future is wanting shiny.

When the rain delay ended, Zhang walked out to Courtroom 7, confidently accomplished his victory to earn his place within the subject and held his arms out in celebration. Within the stands was Wu, who replicated the celebration.

“I’m very comfortable that we each certified as a result of it’s fairly robust,” Zhang mentioned. “I do know he had some accidents.”

US Open.” />

Wu, who was the world’s No. 1 junior, was invited to Monaco in the course of the 2017 offseason to coach with a number of the world’s greatest gamers. However he didn’t instantly make his mark on the ATP Tour. The Chinese language star reached what was then a career-high of No. 298 in April 2019.

Nonetheless, he didn’t compete from March 2019 till January 2022 attributable to a number of accidents, together with points along with his elbow, decrease again, shoulder and wrist, with elbow surgical procedure being probably the most severe of the bunch. Wu refused to make use of the accidents as an excuse, although.

“I don’t actually like to speak about these accidents in too [much] element as a result of each participant has accidents. I’m certain plenty of gamers play tournaments with some components of the physique hurting. I’m not the one one,” Wu mentioned. “Additionally the psychological power that you must undergo the ache is a part of the sport.”

This yr, nonetheless, Wu and Zhang have each confirmed what they’re able to. Wu has climbed from World No. 1,869 in March to No. 174, his career-high. Zhang, who turned the top-ranked Chinese language participant in Pepperstone ATP Rankings historical past (World No. 136) in February 2020, is only one spot off that mark.

“I believe we’ve competitors between me and him and in addition we’re excellent mates. For me, I’ll cheer for him. We’re each pushing Chinese language males’s tennis ranges and we’re nonetheless younger. We’ve got plenty of time to do it. I believe we’re going to get to the High 100,” Wu mentioned. “[It will] not [be] straightforward, however I believe it must be accomplished, even a very long time in the past.

“I really like how [Zhang] performs. He’s an enormous server and he’s aggressive on the courtroom. He likes to put stress on opponents. I really like how he performs. We’re good mates, we cheer for one another. I believe we will make some historical past proper right here.”

The pair already has. On Monday, they’ll develop into the primary Chinese language males within the Open Period to compete in the principle draw of the US Open.

“For him it’s straightforward as a result of he received the juniors right here. [For] 5 years he didn’t lose a match on the US Open!” Zhang mentioned, cracking amusing. “For me, I used to be shocked I handed the qualies as a result of it’s my first time right here in fact. I used to be taking part in fairly good on clay courts after grass. I didn’t anticipate that I can move right here.”

Wu is aware of what it takes to make a deep run at Flushing Meadows. However he’s not wanting too far forward. As an alternative, he’s focussed on taking within the second. After lacking practically three years, he is aware of to understand the chance.

“I simply need to benefit from the occasion, get pleasure from taking part in tennis,” Wu mentioned. “I believe that’s my largest change between me now and some years in the past. I get pleasure from tennis extra and I actually like to play in entrance of individuals. Simply to be comfortable.”