The ATP China Hong Kong Tennis Open (250 level) has concluded the quarterfinal matches. The 19-year-old Chinese player, Shang Juncheng, performed outstandingly, defeating Hungary's Mauro Rán with scores of 1:6, 6:3, and 6:4, strongly advancing to the top 4.
Last year at the Hong Kong station competition, Shang Juncheng was a semi-finalist, thus facing the pressure of maintaining his high ranking points. Mauro Rán is ranked 58th in the world, while Shang is ranked 50th, with both players' abilities being quite similar. In the first set, Shang struggled to adapt to his opponent's tall and imposing presence, losing serve repeatedly and quickly falling to a 1:6 defeat.
However, from the second set onwards, the smart and resourceful Shang returned, skillfully controlling the rhythm and frequently scoring with impressive shots into open spaces. He won the next two sets 6:3 and 6:4, convincingly impressing the 1.93-meter-tall Hungarian giant.
Shang Juncheng's opponent in the semi-finals will be Japanese star Kei Nishikori, who defeated Briton Norrie - the only one among the top 8 seeds with a higher world ranking than Shang. This time, all the top 8 seeded players have been eliminated from the competition. Born in 1989, Nishikori has achieved a Grand Slam runner-up finish and an Olympic bronze medal, once considered the best in Asia.
If Shang Juncheng can win the Asian derby, his immediate world ranking will surpass Zhang Zhizhen, becoming the new number one player in China. Let's look forward to Shang Juncheng's excellent performance in the semi-finals!