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Humbert accelerates past Machac for Tokyo final berth

  • Posted: Sep 30, 2024

Ugo Humbert successfully halted Tomas Machac’s mid-match momentum on Monday to book his spot in the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships final in Tokyo.

The Frenchman raised his level after a tough second set to seal a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 semi-final triumph at the hard-court ATP 500. Humbert produced his best tennis of the match to reel off four straight games from 2-2 in the third set to advance to his third ATP Tour final of the season (Marseille, Dubai).

“It feels good. It was not my best match this week, but I still have the win so I’m very proud of that,” said Humbert. “It was not easy. I had difficulties in the second set, but in the end, I found the solution and stayed calm. I’m into my seventh ATP Tour final, so I’m very happy.

“It was not easy, because he didn’t allow a lot of rhythm… At the end of the second set, I tried to speak to myself a little bit. After, the last four games were amazing.”

Humbert will seek to improve his perfect 6-0 record in tour-level finals when he takes on sixth seed Holger Rune or #NextGenATP Arthur Fils in Tuesday’s final in Tokyo. The Frenchman, who has risen four spots to No. 15 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings as a result of his run in Japan so far, is chasing his third ATP 500 crown after his victories in Halle in 2021 and Dubai earlier this year.

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Trailblazer Zhang, #NextGenATP Shang lead Chinese stars seeking Shanghai success

  • Posted: Sep 30, 2024

While Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz will headline the field at the 2024 Rolex Shanghai Masters, many of the eyes in China will be on their homegrown stars at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

Led by Zhang Zhizhen, Shang Juncheng and Wu Yibing, Chinese tennis has undergone an eye-catching rise on the ATP Tour over the past two years.

The impressive progress of the Asian nation’s male stars was reflected earlier this month in Chengdu and Hangzhou. At the Chengdu Open, #NextGenATP star Shang became the first Chinese player to win an ATP Tour on home soil, while Zhang and Buyunchaokete made history at the Hangzhou Open by setting the first all-Chinese semi-final in ATP Tour history.

As they head to Shanghai, ATPTour.com assesses the Chinese contenders now aiming to make a splash on their home ATP Masters 1000 stage.

[ATP APP]

Zhang Zhizhen
Zhang has relished being the leading man of Chinese tennis for the past two years, becoming the first player from his country to crack the Top 100 (October 2022) and Top 50 (January 2024) in the PIF ATP Rankings.

The 27-year-old has been mixing it with the best in the business and has proven more than capable of competing at the top level. He has reached five ATP quarter-finals in 2024 alone. With an explosive all-court game, it is no surprise that Zhang soared to a career-high of World No. 31 in July following his run to the semi-finals in Halle.

Zhang has previously played well at the Rolex Shanghai Masters. In 2023, he produced an awe-inspiring run to the fourth round before falling to eventual champion Hubert Hurkacz. The Chinese No. 1 will be eager to build on that run and his 2024 form when he leads the charge in front of his home crowd this year.

Zhang Zhizhen

Zhang Zhizhen in action during his fourth-round run at the 2023 Rolex Shanghai Masters. Photo Credit: Peter Staples/ATP Tour

Shang Juncheng
#NextGenATP star Shang isn’t just one of China’s most exciting prospects — he is one of the ATP Tour’s fastest-rising stars overall.

At this year’s Chengdu Open, Shang defeated top seed Lorenzo Musetti to clinch his maiden tour-level title at the age of just 19. He is currently in a see-saw battle with Alex Michelsen for second place in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, but is in a strong position to qualify for his Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF debut regardless.

With his flashy lefty game that has proved a nuisance to peers, Shang has also reached ATP Tour semi-finals in Hong Kong and Atlanta this year. He is now on the brink of the Top 50 in the PIF ATP Rankings, raising the possibility he could soon surpass his countryman Zhang as the country’s leading star.

Wu Yibing
Wu carved his name into the history books at the Dallas Open in 2023 when he became the first Chinese player to lift a trophy on the ATP Tour.

The 24-year-old’s attempts to build on that momentous triumph have been hindered by extended periods spent off court due to injury, but Wu shook off those setbacks and returned to the winner’s circle in August 2024, when he clinched an ATP Challenger Tour title on home soil in Jinan.

Despite his absence from the ATP Tour for the majority of the season, the Chinese star has shown glimpses of the form that he is capable of producing and will be raring to push back up to his career-high of No. 54 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

Wu Yibing

Wu Yibing reached a career-high No. 54 in the PIF ATP Rankings in May 2023. Photo Credit: Peter Staples/ATP Tour

Buyunchaokete
The most recent Chinese player to crack the Top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings is Buyunchaokete. The 22-year-old hit the milestone after reaching the semi-finals at the Hangzhou Open, where he fell to his countryman Zhang in the first all-Chinese ATP Tour semi-final.

Much of Buyunchaokete’s success has come on the ATP Challenger Tour, where he is a three-time champion, but in 2024 he has enjoyed three notable breakthroughs at Tour-level. In August, he qualified for a major for the first time at the US Open, where he defeated former Top 20 player Aslan Karatsev to seal his main-draw spot before falling to Casper Ruud in the first round.

Buyunchaokete backed up that display in New York by claiming his maiden Davis Cup singles win for China in a tie against Romania, and then defeated Hugo Gaston, Karen Khachanov and Mikhail Kukushkin en route to the last four in Hangzhou. Can the 22-year-old continue his momentum into his home Masters 1000 event?

Buyunchaokete

Buyunchaokete in action at the 2024 US Open. Photo Credit: Mike Stobe/Getty Images

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Medvedev stays on course in Beijing with Cobolli win

  • Posted: Sep 30, 2024

Could Beijing be where Daniil Medvedev returns to the winner’s circle on the ATP Tour?

The No. 5 in the PIF ATP Rankings continued his China Open campaign in confident fashion on Monday afternoon, when he downed Flavio Cobolli 6-2, 6-4 at the ATP 500. Medvedev, who is chasing his first ATP Tour trophy since his Rome triumph in May 2023, delivered a typically resilient display to reach his sixth tour-level semi-final of the season.

Although Medvedev clinched victory with a straightforward scoreline, the 28-year-old faced 11 break points in his 88-minute quarter-final victory in the Chinese capital. The third seed saved all but one, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and responded well after Cobolli reclaimed an early break in the second set en route to sealing his win.

“Today was not an easy match, but I’m happy that I fought until the end,” said Medvedev in his post-match press conference. “Actually some good points here and there. One amazing shot, probably one of the best shots of my life I think, at 0/30 in the last game. Super lucky, but you fight until the end, and sometimes you get these lucky shots.”

With his victory, Medvedev improved to 2-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Cobolli after he also defeated the Italian at the US Open earlier this month. He also further boosted his Nitto ATP Finals qualification chances: Medvedev is fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, 730 points clear of fifth-placed Taylor Fritz.

His next test in Beijing, where he reached the championship match in 2023 before falling to Jannik Sinner, is a blockbuster semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz after the Spaniard overcame Karen Khachanov 7-5, 6-2. Medvedev trails Alcaraz 2-5 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

“Tomorrow, a tough test against Carlos,” said Medvedev. “I think for me, and I think I’m not the only one to say it… When he’s in the zone, he’s probably the best player in the world. Tough to play him. I feel like now he’s in the zone. So it great test for me.

“I’m going to see how I go out there tomorrow, what tactic, what do I believe in, and I’m going to go for it.”

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Could Sinner face Medvedev, Alcaraz & Djokovic in Shanghai?

  • Posted: Sep 30, 2024

Top seed Jannik Sinner faces a daunting draw at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

The Italian could face three former No. 1 players in the PIF ATP Rankings — Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals, Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals and Novak Djokovic in the final — during his run at the Chinese ATP Masters 1000 event.

Sinner will begin his tournament against Japanese veteran Taro Daniel or a qualifier, with 31st seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry the first seeded opponent he could play. Also in his section of the draw are 14th seed Ben Shelton and 21st seed Arthur Fils, both potential fourth-round opponents.

Medvedev and 2019 Nitto ATP Finals champion Stefanos Tsitsipas are also in Sinner’s quarter of the Shanghai draw. The 2019 Shanghai champion Medvedev will open against Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild or a qualifier.

Third seed Alcaraz, who made the fourth round on his tournament debut last year, will face a #NextGenATP opponent, Shang Juncheng or Coleman Wong, in the second round. Big-serving Chilean Nicolas Jarry, the 25th seed, looms as a potential third-round foe.

Also in the Spaniard’s quarter are eighth seed Casper Ruud, 11th seed Tommy Paul and surging Czech Tomas Machac, the 30th seed who is in the Tokyo semi-finals.

[ATP APP]

Djokovic is set for just his second match since suffering a stunning loss in the third round of the US Open Open to Alexei Popyrin. The Serbian, who played a Davis Cup match the week after the season’s final major, will open against #NextGenATP American Alex Michelsen or in-form Chinese player Buyunchaokete.

The four-time Rolex Shanghai Masters champion has not played the tournament since 2019. The event was not played from 2020-22 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Djokovic has never failed to reach the quarter-finals in nine previous Shanghai appearances.

Second seed Alexander Zverev will open against a qualifier. The 2019 finalist could play red-hot Australian Jordan Thompson, the 26th seed, in the third round. They have split their four previous Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings, including a split of their two clashes earlier this year.

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Rublev & Alcaraz's Live Race opportunity in Beijing

  • Posted: Sep 29, 2024

Andrey Rublev has a huge opportunity to make a move in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin this week at the China Open in Beijing and improve his chances of qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals for the fifth consecutive season.

Entering his second-round match on Monday against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Rublev is seventh in the Live Race. By Wednesday, the 26-year-old could climb to fifth.

Since fifth-placed Taylor Fritz and sixth-placed Casper Ruud lost early this week in Tokyo at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships, Rublev could make up ground on his rivals. 

Rublev would pass Ruud for sixth by reaching the Beijing final (3,810 points) and Fritz for fifth by lifting the trophy (3,980 points). He could play two matches Monday, needing to complete his match against Davidovich Fokina with in-form Chinese player Buyunchaokete waiting in the quarter-finals.

PIF ATP Live Race To Turin (as of 29 September)

 Player  Points
 1) Jannik Sinner  9,100
 2) Alexander Zverev  6,115
 3) Carlos Alcaraz  6,110
 4) Daniil Medvedev  4,520
 5) Taylor Fritz  3,890
 6) Casper Ruud  3,795
 7) Andrey Rublev  3,530
 8) Alex de Minaur  3,305

Third-placed Carlos Alcaraz has moved within just five points of second-placed Alexander Zverev in the Live Race by advancing to the Beijing quarter-finals. He would move ahead of the German with a win in the last eight against seventh seed Karen Khachanov.

Both men are far behind first-placed Jannik Sinner, who is in good position to earn ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours. The Italian could further cement his standing by claiming an ATP Tour-leading seventh title of the season.

[ATP APP]

Sinner, Zverev and Alcaraz are the only men who have qualified for the season finale so far. The Nitto ATP Finals will be held at Inalpi Arena in Turin from 10-17 November.

Fourth-placed Daniil Medvedev is next in line to qualify and is in good position to earn his place at the year-end championships for the sixth straight season. Like Sinner and Alcaraz, he is in the Beijing quarter-finals.

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#NextGenATP Fils downs defending champ Shelton to reach Tokyo SF

  • Posted: Sep 29, 2024

There will be a new champion crowned in Tokyo after #NextGenATP star Arthur Fils muscled his way past defending champion Ben Shelton in a gripping quarter-final clash at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships. 

The 20-year-old brought some of his most ruthless tennis to edge past the explosive American, claiming a 7-5, 6-7(5), 7-6(2) victory in three hours. Both players were forced to battle through cramp in their bid to reach the last four, but it was the Frenchman who held his nerve. 

Fils’ punishing groundstrokes were on full display under the lights as he crushed 58 winners en route to a statement triumph, setting an eagerly anticipated semi-final clash with Holger Rune, who saved a match point to outlast home favourite Kei Nishikori.

With their Lexus ATP Head2Head series level at 1-1, their upcoming clash in the Japanese capital will be the first meeting on hard courts.

Earlier, Tomas Machac breezed past #NextGenATP talent Alex Michelsen, showing promising signs in his first event of the Asian swing. With a stylish 7-6(2), 6-3 triumph, Machac is into his second ATP Tour semi-final in Tokyo.

Machac struck 34 winners according to Infosys ATP Stats throughout their one hour and 35 minute clash, eventually outlasting Michelsen in the baseline exchanges. The Czech also fired eight aces, won 88 per cent of first-serve points and faced just one break point.

It was a commanding performance that was reflective of his ascent to No. 34 in the PIF ATP Rankings, backing up strong wins against Alexei Popyrin and Tommy Paul earlier in the week.

Michelsen, however, still occupies second place in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah and finds himself in a solid position to secure a spot at the Next Gen ATP Finals for a second consecutive year.

[ATP APP]

In the last four, Machac will face off against Ugo Humbert after Jack Draper was forced to retire from their clash with the Frenchman leading 7-5, 2-1.

The 22-year-old, who produced an inspired run to the US Open semi-finals earlier this month, took a medical timeout for an abdominal injury, but it was ultimately to no avail as he called time on their first Lexus ATP Head2Head contest.

Humbert is into his 16th ATP Tour semi-final, bidding to clinch his third title of 2024 after wins in Marseille and Dubai propelled him to a career-high of No. 13 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

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