In a remarkable display of endurance and skill, China’s wildcard Shang Juncheng secured a spot in the second round of the Madrid Open after a grueling match against French qualifier Corentin Moutet on Wednesday. The match, which lasted nearly four hours, saw Shang triumph with scores of 6-7(9), 6-2, 7-6(10).
“It’s gotta be the longest match I have ever played in my life,” Shang said after the exhausting battle. The victory propels the young player to a career-high world ranking of No. 103. A win in the next round against local favorite Alejandro Davidovich Fokina could see Shang break into the Top 100 for the first time.
Meanwhile, fellow Chinese player Wang Xiyu also advanced to the second round in the women’s singles. Wang fought back from a set down to defeat Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova in a marathon match that ended 5-7, 7-5, 6-4.
The impressive performances by Shang and Wang highlight the rising talent in Chinese tennis, signaling a promising future on the international stage. Their determination and resilience in these challenging matches have captured the attention of tennis enthusiasts worldwide.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
