Shang Juncheng defeats Kei Nishikori in Chengdu | ATP Tour

Match Report

#NextGenATP Shang sinks Nishikori on residence soil in Chengdu

Vukic saves M.P. towards Coric

September 19, 2024

#NextGenATP Chinese language star Shang Juncheng delivered in entrance of a energetic residence crowd on Thursday on the Chengdu Open, the place he moved previous former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-4 in a high-quality first-round match.

Shang is likely one of the most fun prospects on the ATP Tour and the 19-year-old confirmed why towards the 34-year-old Nishikori. He hit cleanly off each wings and dug deep when serving for the match within the second set, heading off two break factors earlier than ultimately advancing to degree the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence at 1-1.

Shang was stuffed with reward for Nishikori after his win.

“His returns are unbelievable, among the greatest on the earth,” Shang stated. “His recreation is taking the ball early. He would not offer you a lot time and he can defend something that’s coming at him. All of the gamers are tough however it’s powerful to play him as a result of he strikes in the identical method as I do. It was an excellent match and he’s a very good man and we get alongside properly off the courtroom.”

Shang shines in Chengdu 🪩

The 19-year-old continues to impress as he rallies previous Nishikori 6-4 6-4!@ChengduOpen | #ChengduOpen pic.twitter.com/nNb1rapOss

— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 19, 2024

Shang has now earned 20 tour-level wins in a season for the primary time, highlighted by semi-final runs in Hong Kong and Atlanta. The lefty will hope to carry out properly on residence soil in the course of the Asian swing in an purpose to additional cement his probabilities of qualifying for the Subsequent Gen ATP Finals introduced by PIF, as a consequence of happen from 18-22 December. Shang is at the moment third within the PIF ATP Dwell Race To Jeddah.

“The aim for Asia is to be wholesome and joyful,” Shang stated. “I do not get to play at residence a lot. The followers do not get to observe the Chinese language gamers a lot, so it’s to have enjoyable.”

The World No. 67 has received his previous seven first-round tour-level matches and can subsequent meet Roman Safiullin or Fabio Fognini.

Nishikori was making his debut in Chengdu. The 12-time tour-level titlist struck the ball properly towards Shang however struggled bodily at instances, receiving therapy on his left leg and proper elbow.

Australian Alexsandar Vukic saved one match level to earn a hard-fought 3-6, 7-6(9), 6-4 win towards former World No. 12 Borna Coric on the ATP 250.

Vukic, who leads Coric 2-0 within the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence, will purpose to succeed in the quarter-finals at a tour-level hard-court occasion for the primary time this season when he takes on Spaniard Pedro Martinez within the second spherical.

Chinese language wild card Zhou Yi earned his first ATP Tour win after Chun-Hsin Tseng was compelled to retire within the third set. Zhou led 2-6, 6-1, 3-1 when Tseng stopped. The No. 531 participant within the PIF ATP Rankings meets Adrian Mannarino or French qualifier Terence Atmane within the second spherical.

In different motion, qualifier Alibek Kachmazov superior, defeating American Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 7-6(7), whereas Yannick Hanfmann beat Japanese wild card Shintaro Mochizuki 6-4, 7-6(4). Christopher O’Connell eradicated Pavel Kotov 6-4, 7-5.