Buyunchaokete upsets Musetti, makes Chinese history in Beijing

  • Posted: Sep 29, 2024

The rise of Buyunchaokete shows no sign of slowing down.

The Chinese player continued his ascent on Sunday when he upset Paris Olympics bronze medalist Lorenzo Musetti 6-2, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the China Open in Beijing. He will next play fourth seed Andrey Rublev or Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

Before last week’s Hangzhou Open, Buyunchaokete had played just one ATP Tour event. The 22-year-old made his maiden tour-level semi-final at the ATP 250 and is now into the last eight at his first ATP 500 tournament.

“I’m really happy. I’m really enjoying playing at home, especially last week in Hangzhou, where I practised almost 15 years and here also at home, I’m in China,” he said in his post-match interview. “I was really looking forward to this tournament because it’s my first 500 here and last week was my first 250, so I’m really enjoying.”

Buyunchaokete is just the second Chinese men’s singles quarter-finalist in China Open history, joining Zhang Ze, who accomplished the feat in 2012. He joined the exclusive club by earning his first victory against a Top 20 opponent in the PIF ATP Rankings in one hour and 29 minutes.

[ATP APP]

Less than five months ago, Buyunchaokete was World No. 239. Now the 22-year-old is No. 83 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and climbing.

The home favourite faced a hobbled opponent in World No. 18 Musetti, who was seemingly in discomfort with his right arm throughout the match. But the Italian still made the Chinese player earn the win, rallying from a double-break deficit in the second set.

Buyunchaokete dictated the action and that proved key. He won 53 per cent of his first-serve return points and converted five of his eight break points according to Infosys ATP Stats.

“I lost a little bit my focus, my energy. I was maybe relaxed because he started doing some drop shots, some trick shots,” Buyunchaokete said. “I’m happy [I] came back [at] 4-all and I had a break and [was able] to finish the match. I’m really happy.”

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