Former junior World No. 1 Wu Yibing reached a career-high of No. 174 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings this week behind his second straight ATP Challenger Tour title. But the 22-year-old from China has his sights set on the Top 100, with one eye on a particular number.

“The highest-ranked Chinese player ever is No. 136,” he said in an exclusive interview with ATPTour.com, alluding to Zhang Zhizhen. “I think I have a pretty good chance to break it this year. I’m going to trust myself and have a high standard.”

It’s an ambitious goal for the six-footer, who played exclusively on a domestic circuit in China in 2020-21 after recovering from elbow surgery. But Wu is already the Chinese No. 1, having passed Zhang earlier this month. In 2020, Wu had a piece of bone removed from his elbow. (“It sounds terrifying, but I made it,” he says.)

Wu and the 25-year-old Zhang are both in the Top 200, with the 17-year-old Shang Juncheng and 20-year-old Yunchaokete Bu representing China inside the Top 400. 

But Wu’s recent form on the Challenger Tour has tilted the spotlight his way. 

He returned at the ITF level in January but twisted his ankle badly in his first tournament back in Cancun, an injury he likened to Alexander Zverev’s gruesome incident at Roland Garros. Wu won his next event, an April ITF event in Florida, and has since won three Challenger titles in the United States, including back-to-back trophy runs this month in Rome, Georgia and Indianapolis.

His four career Challenger titles make him the most decorated Chinese player in the circuit’s history.

🟢 Third title of the year
🟢 Back-to-back crowns after winning in Rome (USA)
🟢 Fourth career #ATPChallenger title

🇨🇳 Yibing Wu is the champion in Indianapolis, fighting to a 6-7(10), 7-6(13), 6-3 win over Kovacevic! pic.twitter.com/JQ2g22UgCm

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) July 25, 2022

In his Indianapolis triumph, he saved six match points to defeat American Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-7(10), 7-6(13) 6-3 in an epic final. He’s also earned a pair of Top-100 victories this season, beating Aussie Jordan Thompson and Germany’s Peter Gojowczyk.

“Those matches gave me a lot of confidence, especially the match against Jordan Thompson,” Wu said of his 1-6, 7-6(5), 6-2 victory in Zagreb. “Especially being down a set and struggling in the second set and fighting through it. It gave me confidence that I could compete with Top 100 players.”

After testing himself against international opposition, Wu feels like a more mature player than he was before his elbow injury. He is still as aggressive as ever, but no longer finds himself rushing in his attempts to generate power.

While he is happy with his overall game, particularly his enhanced return, Wu is keying on his first-serve percentage and net skills as areas for improvement.

“In general, the Chinese players, we’re working a lot on the baseline,” he explained. “We’re missing some shots like slicing, like volleys. So this is something I’m missing from my junior time of practising, which I’m looking forward to improving.”

Wu is also eager to improve his fitness in order to compete on the ATP Tour.

“I think mentally I am ready to overcome all the injuries I might come across in the near future,” he said. “My body is not strong enough like other players, so I am ready to put more effort in the gym and stretching room. One of the important lessons I have to learn is how to prevent injury. I have talked to my physio quite a lot lately about this subject.”

Fortunately, he has a team to help guide him — a rarity for players at the Challenger level.

“I’m lucky being Chinese. I get a lot of support from my federation and also my agency,” he explained. “They’re helping me to find these great coaches and physios and fitness coaches. They’re doing a great job so far this year.

“I’m not going to take all the credit myself. Tennis is a lonely sport. I don’t have many friends on the Tour — I missed a few years of these tournaments. My coaches and my physio, they have to keep me up, keep me hungry about playing matches and keep me fit. All these little things make a team.”

Wu at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Indianapolis. Photo Credit: Larry Lawrence

Wu’s status as one of China’s top tennis prospects has also given him the opportunity to meet international sporting superstars like golf great Tiger Woods and basketball legend Yao Ming, who he called “The Great Wall of China”. He also met Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons when the Philadelphia 76ers visited Shanghai in 2018.

A big NBA fan, Wu enjoyed a nice side-benefit from his time in the United States earlier this season during the playoffs. Due to the time difference, the games are on TV in the morning in China, which conflicted with Wu’s practice schedule. In the U.S., he was able to watch the playoffs in prime time.

“Here, I can chill after a long day of practice,” said Wu, who calls Kevin Durant his favourite player. “I can just chill on my bed and watch some great games.”

Music is Wu’s other passion off the court, and he credited Taiwanese artist Jay Chou’s newly released songs for spurring him on to his recent success.

“I’m going to give him a little credit for winning these tournaments, listening to his music,” Wu said with a laugh.

A celebrity in his own right, Wu also enjoys live streaming on Chinese social media and speaking directly with his fans.

“I do it because I have some free time and I want to talk to someone,” he shared. “Instead of playing video games, I choose to do the live streaming and interact with all the Chinese fans. Maybe some junior players will get inspired by it.

“Interacting with fans brings some light to my life on Tour. I guess gaining some supporters is never a bad thing.”

As he sets his sights on the ATP Tour, Wu can also draw from the experience of meeting and competing with many of the game’s top players. He was a hitting partner at the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals, and took a set off Kei Nishikori as a wild card at the 2018 Rolex Shanghai Masters.

🇯🇵 @keinishikori and Yibing Wu put on a show in Shanghai 🎪👏

Watch the @SH_RolexMasters live on @TennisTV 📺 pic.twitter.com/9juBOJUJR0

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 10, 2018

Thanks to his rapid rise up the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Wu has booked himself a return to the big stage in August, when he will make his senior Grand Slam qualifying debut at the US Open — the site of his junior singles triumph in 2017.

“I actually pictured it quite a lot in my head,” Wu said of his return to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. “Taking some pictures there, and to check out if they put my name on the wall… all the things that a normal person would think of.

“But I don’t want to overthink too much about the emotional stuff, because I’m going to New York to play tennis, not to be nostalgic about the good old times. I hope I can turn this emotion into some positive energy to be helpful for my matches.

“It will be a very special feeling to be back. I finished my junior career at the US Open and now my professional career might start a new chapter there. It does feel like destiny in some way. But I know I still need to focus and bring out the best tennis on court.”

– with reporting assistance from Michael Chen

Despite facing a home favourite riding a wave of momentum, Roberto Bautista Agut showed all his class at the Generali Open in Kitzbühel on Saturday.

The third seed ended #NextGenATP Filip Misolic’s dream run at the clay-court ATP 250 event in Austria with a 6-2, 6-2 championship match victory to lift his 11th ATP Tour title.

“I enjoyed the final, I think I managed the pressure very well,” said Bautista Agut after the match. “I knew I was a little bit the favourite today, but he had so many good wins this tournament and I knew it was going to be difficult. I played a very good match.”

The 20-year-old Misolic had earlier kept his cool to reach the final in his first tour-level event by edging Yannick Hanfmann after the pair’s rain-delayed semi-final clash resumed with the Austrian leading 1/0 in the third-set tie-break. Upon returning to court for the championship match, however, Misolic had no answer to Bautista Agut’s consistent ballstriking as the Spaniard triumphed in one hour and 33 minutes.

“I want to congratulate Roberto,” said Misolic, whose exploits this week in his homeland have lifted him 70 spots to No. 135 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings. “I have watched you on television [before] and to play here against you in the final is an honour for me.”

Bautista Agut broke Misolic’s serve twice in each set as he dictated play throughout the final, firing a series of searing winners from deep and staying solid behind his own delivery to win his second Tour crown of the season following his victory in Doha in February.

It was the Spaniard’s second tour-level title on clay, and he was pleased to reach the winner’s circle on the surface for the first time since his triumph in Stuttgart in 2014.

“It was a very long time since I won a title on clay,” said Bautista Agut. “It’s very special for me, because I’ve done a lot of good work on this surface.”

Bautista Agut also defeated Jurij Rodionov, Jiri Lehecka and Albert Ramos-Vinolas on his second appearance in Kitzbühel this week. The triumph has lifted the Spaniard two spots to No. 18 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.

Pedro Martinez and Lorenzo Sonego may have done things the hard way this week at the Generali Open, but the unseeded duo’s nerves held to the very end as they lifted a first ATP Tour title together in Kitzbühel.

Martinez and Sonego defeated top seeds Tim Puetz and Michael Venus 5-7, 6-4, 10-8 in a dramatic championship match in Austria, their second Match Tie-break victory of the week. Martinez and Sonego’s other two victories at the clay-court ATP 250 event each required two tie-break sets.

“I’m really happy because I played with a friend and that is really nice,” said Sonego. “I expected nothing from my doubles, but I really enjoyed every moment on court with Pedro. He played so well, and we could do something good in the future.”

Sonego and Martinez led 4-1 early in the Austrian Alps, but Puetz and Venus showed their experience to roar back to claim the first set and place their unseeded opponents under pressure. Yet Martinez and Sonego held firm for a one-hour, 58-minute victory having saved six from eight break points they faced.

“We are both good fighters,” said Martinez. “After having a lot of chances in the first set, we had two opportunities to get a double break and we couldn’t do it. We had to keep believing we could win the match. In doubles, anything can happen.

“I’m happy to play with Lorenzo, we enjoy it a lot on the court and we are happy to get the win.”

Martinez and Sonego first teamed at the Miami Open presented by Itau in March, and the duo now holds a 6-2 match record for 2022. The victory in Kitzbühel is Martinez’s first ATP Tour doubles title and Sonego’s second, after the Italian triumphed in Cagliari in 2021 alongside Andrea Vavassori.

Spurred on by strong Italian support on Friday at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag, top seeds Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini advanced to the final at the ATP 250 event.

The Italians earned a 6-0, 7-6(5) win against Francisco Cabral and Tomislav Brkic to reach their fourth tour-level final of the season. Seeking their seventh title as a team, Bolelli/Fognini saved all six break points against them while converting on three of seven break chances.

The 2022 Sydney and Bastad champions will face Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara in the final after the British/Finnish pair knocked off second seeds Rafael Matos and David Vega Hernandez 6-1, 5-7, 10-8. The second seeds are bidding for their third title as a team and second this season (Hamburg).

Kitzbühel Final Set
Both semi-finals at the Generali Open required two tie-break sets. Top seeds Tim Puetz and Michael Venus earned a 7-6(6), 7-6(0) win against third seeds Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies, while Pedro Martinez and Lorenzo Sonego were 7-6(9), 7-6(2) winners against Robin Haase and Philipp Oswald.

Puetz/Venus have not dropped a set en route to Saturday’s final. By contrast, Martinez/Sonego have been living on the edge all week. Just as in the semi-final, they won their opening match in a pair of tie-break sets before surviving a Match Tie-break in the quarter-finals.

Filip Misolic’s fairytale run towards a maiden ATP Tour final was put on a tantalizing hold by rain after a dramatic day at the Generali Open in Kitzbühel.

The #NextGenATP Austrian played the best part of six sets in front of a raucous home crowd on Friday, engineering two remarkable comebacks to move to within six points of the final in his first tour-level tournament at the clay-court ATP 250 event.

The wild card led Yannick Hanfmann 6-2, 2-6, 6-6 (1/0) when heavy rain brought play to a close just as the deciding-set tie-break started in the Austrian Alps. Misolic had trailed 2020 finalist Hanfmann 1-4 in the third set before rallying, and the pair will return on Saturday to complete their first ATP Head2Head meeting.

The winner is then set to face Roberto Bautista Agut in the championship match, after the third seed defeated Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 7-6(3) to reach his third tour-level final of the year.

Misolic had begun the day with a tense 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 win against Dusan Lajovic in a quarter-final clash delayed from Thursday due to rain. The home favourite recovered a 2-6, 3-5 deficit to upset the former World No. 23, with his exciting brand of shotmaking frequently bringing the passionate home crowd to their feet.

Prior to his quarter-final win against Lajovic, Misolic had prevailed against Daniel Dutra da Silva and then Pablo Andujar in Kitzbühel. The World No. 205, who was born in Austria to Croatian parents, has shown good form on the clay already this year, lifting his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title on the surface in Zagreb in May.

Misolic and Hanfmann’s cliffhanger clash is the second meeting between the pair in the space of 12 days, after the German was a 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-0 winner in the first round of qualifying for last week’s EFG Swiss Open Gstaad.

After beginning his Atlanta Open campaign with an evening win against countryman James Duckworth, Aussie Alex de Minaur played his first match under the hot Georgia sun in Friday’s quarter-finals.

The second seed outlasted French qualifier Adrian Mannarino 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 to book his fourth semi-final showing of the 2022 season. 

“It’s not called Hotlanta for nothing, that’s for sure,” De Minaur said post-match. “It’s definitely a hot one today. I had to absolutely battle, but jeez it feels good to get on top in these types of matches.

“Very proud of myself, very proud of my attitude. I didn’t give in and managed to fight until the end. I’m happy to live another day.”

The 23-year-old survived two tough service games to open the second set, battling through four deuces in the opening game and erasing two break points to lead 2-1. From 3-3, he raced through the finish line by taking the match’s final nine games against a tiring opponent who was playing his fifth match of the week.

De Minaur won the 2019 Atlanta title and will seek his first final of 2022 against Ilya Ivashka on Saturday. Ivaskha also went the distance on Saturday to defeat fifth seed Tommy Paul 6-2, 3-6, 6-1. The 28-year-old is through to his first semi-final of the season and the fifth of his tour-level career.

The bottom half of the Atlanta singles draw features four Americans. Frances Tiafoe is set to take on Brandon Nakashima before six-time champion John Isner faces Jenson Brooksby in the evening session.

Carlos Alcaraz continued his maiden ATP Tour title defense in style on Friday at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag, where he powered past Facundo Bagnis 6-0, 6-4 to reach his seventh semi-final of the season.

Having started the week at a career-high of No. 5 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, the 19-year-old has moved onto the heels of World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings. He will move past the Greek with a win against Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri in Saturday’s semi-finals.

“It means a lot to be able to [reach] the No. 4 ranking, to have a chance to do it,” Alcaraz said post-match. “It’s amazing for me. I think I’m playing really well. I feel really comfortable playing here, a lot of confidence right now.”

The Spaniard overwhelmed Bagnis as he won the first eight games of the contest before the Argentine got on the board with a battling hold. The World No. 120 worked his way into the match from there, getting to 30/30 in Alcaraz’s final three service games and creating his lone break point as the Spaniard served out the match.

But after his dominant start, Alcaraz did just enough to maintain his early break advantage and close out the match in the second set. With the win, Alcaraz improved to 26-3 on clay this season and 7-1 in quarter-finals, his lone loss coming against Alexander Zverev at Roland Garros.

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After dismissing the left-handed Bagnis, he will face another lefty in Zeppieri, who earned a 7-5, 6-4 victory against Bernabe Zapata Miralles earlier on Friday. It was the first straight-sets win of the week for the #NextGenATP Italian, who won four three-setters (including three from a set down) across qualifying and main-draw play to reach the quarter-finals.

A marquee final between Alcaraz and second seed Sinner remains on the cards, with the Italian set to face countryman Franco Agamenone in Saturday’s semi-finals. Sinner was a 6-4, 7-6(5) winner against Roberto Carballes Baena in the quarter-finals.

With Umag’s proximity to Italy, the Italian players have enjoyed great support all week in Croatia.

Despite some spectacular performances in 2022, Jannik Sinner had been yet to reach a semi-final on the ATP Tour this year. On Friday, at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag, the #NextGenATP Italian set that record straight.

The second seed overcame a stiff test from Roberto Carballes Baena to prevail 6-4, 7-6(5) and reach the last four at the clay-court ATP 250 event. Sinner held his nerve in the second-set tie-break after failing to serve out for victory at 6-5 against the admirably persistent World No. 86 Carballes Baena.

“I’m very happy, obviously,” said Sinner after his quarter-final win, which improved his match record for the year to 33-9. “I’ve won many matches, but I think I’ve had some unfortunate moments this year. But here I am, the first semi-final of the year, and hopefully I can show some good tennis also in the next round.”

Friday’s matchup with Carballes Baena was Sinner’s seventh quarter-final of the year. His two-hour, 18-minute win moved the Italian within two wins of his sixth ATP Tour title, and his first since Antwerp last October.

Although he has not yet lifted a trophy in 2022, the 20-year-old Sinner has been a consistent performer this season. He reached the last eight at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, as well as at the ATP Masters 1000 events in Miami, Monte Carlo and Rome.

Sinner will take on countryman Franco Agamenone in the semi-finals in Umag, after the unseeded 29-year-old earlier raced past 2018 champion Marco Cecchinato 6-2, 6-1.

When it comes to the ability to produce his best consistently over a long career on the ATP Tour, there aren’t many who have matched Fernando Verdasco.

The former World No. 7 and seven-time ATP Tour titlist has recorded 558 tour-level match wins across 19 seasons, but such success did not come easy for the Spaniard. Verdasco’s relentlessness on the training court was crucial to honing his game early in his career, and he went on to develop one of the most feared weapons in modern tennis ⁠— his high-powered lefty forehand.

Now having joined TopCourt, Verdasco channels all his experience to show fans how they can develop their game with dedication and commitment to some key drills, some of which the Spaniard has been practising since he was just a kid in Madrid with a dream of becoming a pro. He also discusses how he handled one of the most disappointing losses of his career ⁠— his five-hour, 10-minute five-set defeat to Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals of the 2009 Australian Open ⁠— to ensure it shaped his career for the better.

Technique: Stand-out serving has underpinned Verdasco’s success. The lefty reveals the key technical requirements for his booming serve out wide, explaining how to iron out common technical issues to ensure your delivery is accurate, precise, and consistent.

Drills: In his drills “Cross Line Drops” and “Rhythm Drops”, Verdasco demonstrates how to build up rhythm on your groundstrokes. The drills are not only designed to boost the power of your shots, but also aim to develop variety by stressing the importance of mixing up the speed, spin, and height of each ball.

Follow Verdasco’s Tutorials at TopCourt.com.